Second Regular Session Seventieth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO INTRODUCED LLS NO. 16-0459.01 Jason Gelender x4330 HOUSE BILL 16-1219 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Priola, Van Winkle, Windholz SENATE SPONSORSHIP Woods, House Committees Senate Committees State, Veterans, & Military Affairs A BILL FOR AN ACT Concerning the assumption of the functions of state drivers' license offices by county vehicle titling and registration offices. Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://www.leg.state.co.us/billsummaries.) The division of motor vehicles in the department of revenue (DMV) has administrative oversight over the use of motor vehicles in the state and the provision of legally valid forms of personal identification. But the provision of related services to the public is provided by 2 different kinds of DMV-supervised offices as follows: State drivers' license offices are staffed by state employees and issue and renew drivers' licenses, drivers' permits, and state identification cards, administer written and drive skills tests for license applicants, and perform driver record and vehicle record checks; and County vehicle titling and registration offices are staffed by county employees and act as designated authorized agents of the DMV to provide vehicle registration and titling services and issue license plates. The bill requires the services currently provided by state drivers' license offices to be provided by county vehicle titling and registration offices. Specifically, the department of revenue must require the county vehicle titling and registration offices to provide the services currently provided by the state drivers' license offices as soon as feasible, but no later than July 1, 2021. In furtherance of the existing duty of government, stated in current law, of providing convenient and accessible motor vehicle services to the public, the authorized agents must, whenever feasible, provide the services at the same locations at which they currently provide vehicle registration and titling services and issue license plates. The department must work collaboratively with the counties before the county vehicle and titling and registration offices begin providing the services currently provided by state drivers' license offices to identify the actions to be taken and funding needed to ensure that the required assumption of services by county vehicle titling and registration offices is accomplished expeditiously, efficiently, and effectively, and must endeavor to maximize cost savings to the state by closing state drivers' license offices that are no longer needed. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that: (a) The division of motor vehicles in the department of revenue either directly administers or oversees the administration of various functions and services related to the use of motor vehicles in the state and the provision of legally valid forms of personal identification, including: (I) Titling and registration of motor vehicles; (II) Issuance of license plates for motor vehicles; (III) Conduct of drivers' license examinations and issuance, suspension, revocation, and reinstatement of drivers' licenses and drivers' permits; (IV) Conduct of driver record and vehicle record searches; and (V) Issuance of state identification cards. (b) The execution of the administrative functions of the division of motor vehicles is generally divided between: (I) State drivers' license offices, which issue and renew drivers' licenses, drivers' permits, and state identification cards, administer written and drive skills tests for license applicants, and perform driver record and vehicle record checks; and (II) Vehicle registration and titling offices, which counties operate as authorized agents of the department of revenue and which provide vehicle registration and titling services and issue license plates. (c) The separation of the administrative functions of the division of motor vehicles between state drivers' license offices and county operated registration and titling offices is not ideal because: (I) It can be burdensome and confusing for individuals who own and operate motor vehicles in Colorado to have to go to multiple locations and interact with multiple levels of government in order to ensure that they can satisfy all legal requirements for the use of their motor vehicles; and (II) The state spends a significant amount of money operating state drivers' license offices and could likely save money if those offices were consolidated with county operated registration and titling offices. (2) The general assembly further finds and declares that it is necessary, appropriate, and in the best interest of the state to require counties, as authorized agents of the department of revenue and to the extent feasible, to offer the services currently provided by state drivers' license offices, including issuance and renewal of drivers' licenses, drivers' permits, and state identification cards, administration of written and drive skills tests for license applicants, and performance of driver record and vehicle record checks at county registration and titling offices. SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 42-1-210, add (3) as follows: 42-1-210. County clerks and recorders and manager of revenue or other appointed official as agents - legislative declaration - fee - consolidation of administrative functions in county offices. (3) The department shall require the persons designated in subsection (1) of this section as the authorized agents of the department for the administration of the provisions of articles 3 and 6 of this title to assume the administration of the provisions of article 2 of this title as soon as feasible, but no later than July 1, 2021. In furtherance of the goal of providing convenient and accessible motor vehicle services to the public, the authorized agents shall, whenever feasible, administer the provisions of article 2 of this title at the same locations at which they administer the provisions of articles 3 and 6 of this title. The department shall work collaboratively with the authorized agents before the agents assume the administration of the provisions of article 2 of this title to identify the actions to be taken and funding needed to ensure that the assumption of administrative responsibilities by the authorized agents required by this subsection (3) is accomplished expeditiously, efficiently, and effectively, and the department shall endeavor to maximize cost savings to the state by closing state offices that administer the provisions of article 2 of this title to the extent that such offices are no longer needed. SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August 10, 2016, if adjournment sine die is on May 11, 2016); except that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in November 2016 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.