Rep. Randall Shedd, R-Fairview is the chairman of the House Interim Committee on Driver’s License Review.
MONTGOMERY – An agreement announced between the state of Alabama and the U.S. Department of Transportation on Wednesday underscores the important work undertaken by the House Interim Committee on Driver’s License Review. The committee has been tasked with reviewing the process and procedure of issuing a driver’s license in Alabama in order to seek ways to reduce wait times and find methods for making driver’s license offices more accessible to all Alabamians. The committee has held meetings across the state since it was established by a House Resolution co-sponsored by 56 Republican members.
“Our focus is to find ways to increase customer service for Alabama taxpayers trying to get a driver license,” Committee Chair Randall Shedd, R-Fairview said. “It is unacceptable that individuals are having to take time off of work, stand in line for hours, and in some cases still not receive service. We are serious about solving this problem.”
Additionally, the committee has discussed changing requirements to allow probate judge offices to take on clerical activities such as adding veterans, vessels and other routine classification changes to driver’s licenses instead of driver’s license offices. This adjustment would free up the time spent by license office employees on these minor adjustments and could also eliminate individuals having to wait all day for a routine change.
Rural Alabama is well represented with two officers of the House Rural Caucus serving on the committee, Rep. David Standridge, R-Hayden chairs the Rural Caucus and Shedd serves as treasurer.
“The Rural Caucus recognized this as a problem from the beginning. People in rural Alabama should have access to state services without regard to their income level or where they live,” Standridge stated. “As a member of this committee, I support Chairman Shedd in his efforts to make our driver’s license offices more accessible and efficient."
The House Interim Committee on Driver’s License Review is scheduled to meet again next week on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. in Room 410 of the Alabama Statehouse.
The committee is required to report its findings and submit suggestions to the House of Representatives no later than the 10th legislative day of the 2017 regular session.
The following individuals serve on the committee:
- Rep. Louise Alexander, D-Bessemer
- Rep. Dexter Grimsley, D-Newville
- Rep. Phillip Pettus, R-Killen
- Rep. David Standridge, R-Hayden
- Rep. Margie Wilcox, R-Mobile
