Lawmakers Continue Scrutinizing Car Licensing Problems - Highlights

State officials responsible for the new computerized Minnesota Licensing and Registration System (MNLARS) appeared before the Senate Transportation Committee Thursday, January 4, to update lawmakers on ongoing fixes and failures that have frustrated Minnesotans car owners, automobile dealers and Deputy Registrars. According to officials, progress has been made to erase some of the problems in securing license plates and new car registrations, but more work is needed.

When asked by Senator Dan Hall, R-Burnsville, to quantify the performance of the system today, Jeff Lenarz, Manager of the Saint Paul Sears License Center, said about 75 percent of the transactions that are being processed through his center are working properly, while 25 percent of the transactions are still experiencing problems.

"I heard progress being made. I know we're all frustrated from consumers, legislators to the stakeholders," said Senator Melisa Franzen, DFL-Edina. "This is a work in progress. I don't think this is enough to be satisfied, because we put alot of funding and effort to this..." she added.

In addressing Department of Public Safety Commissioner Mona Dohman and Joan Redwing, Chief Enterprise Architect of MN.IT, Senator Scott Newman, R-Hutchinson, said, "I just have very little comfort when you tell us that as the end of January, after almost 10 years, and $90 to $100 million dollars, you are going to provide us with a roadmap on how to fix this, and I just cannot come to the conclusion other than the fact that people of the state of Minnesota have not been well served."