DMV clean-up bill amended, advanced

A bill that would make a number of changes to laws regarding the state Department of Motor Vehicles was amended to become an omnibus committee bill and advanced from general file March 11.

Among other provisions, LB750, introduced by Henderson Sen. Curt Friesen, would:
• authorize former military vehicles to tow designated trailers;
• allow motorboats and UTV/ATVs to have a transfer-on-death designation on the certificate of title;
• allow previously salvaged titles to be issued initially if a vehicle has been properly inspected; and
• reduce from eight to four hours the driver improvement course requirement for individuals younger than 21.

A Transportation and Telecommunications Committee amendment, adopted 40-0, added provisions of five additional bills:
LB913, sponsored by Brainard Sen. Bruce Bostelman, which would change provisions regarding highway and road construction related to extreme weather events;
LB1022, sponsored by Friesen, which would modify the distribution of fees for the 24/7 sobriety program permit established in 2021 so that the portion of the fee distributed to the county is distributed to the county that issued the permit, not the county of residence of the individual receiving the permit;
LB1145, also sponsored by Friesen, which would stipulate that a law enforcement agency is not prohibited from disclosing the age of an operator included in any motor vehicle accident report;
LB1259, sponsored by Lincoln Sen. Suzanne Geist, which would increase the issuance fee for new license plates and renewal tabs from not more than $3.50 to not more than $4.25 per plate, starting Jan. 1, 2023; and
LB1266, sponsored by Hastings Sen. Steve Halloran, which would prescribe a number of actions that regulated common carriers may not engage in and stipulate that individuals 65 or older may receive free or reduced rates.

Geist offered an amendment, adopted 37-0, that added provisions of her LB714. The provisions would require that $3 from each Class O operator’s license and state identification card issued and valid for five years be deposited in the DMV Cash Fund and used to open and operate an additional operator’s license center.

Geist said the amendment would create a funding mechanism for a new Lancaster County Service Center to reduce wait times for issuing a driver’s license. She said the reduction of work stations in the county has resulted in wait times of up to six hours during peak operation hours.

“My office has received calls asking for something to be done to help alleviate the long wait times,” she said, “and this is in response to those calls.”

Senators also adopted a technical amendment offered by Thurston Sen. Joni Albrecht, on a 35-0 vote, that ensures Nebraska compliance with federal laws and regulations.

Finally, an amendment offered by Bayard Sen. Steve Erdman and adopted 36-0 would remove a requirement that bills of sale for vehicle major component parts be notarized.

Lawmakers then advanced LB750 to select file on a 40-0 vote.