House Bill 161 aiming to make renewing your driver’s license easier

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A new bill introduced to the Kentucky House of Representatives a few weeks ago is aiming to make renewing your driver’s license quicker and more enjoyable.

House Bill 161, introduced to the Kentucky legislature by Bowling Green’s State Rep. Kevin Jackson, aims to allow third-party entities, such as insurance agencies and AAA offices, to perform driver’s license renewals for Kentucky drivers. Additionally, it would give the option to state government offices like county clerks and sheriff’s offices the option to perform these duties as well.

The hope is to bring relief to Kentucky drivers and the staff that work at the 34 regional offices across the state.

A few years ago, changes were made that handed over driver’s license renewal responsibilities to these 34 regional offices. However, this has created long wait times and has even forced drivers to drive over an hour to the nearest office. Jackson says that this really inconvenient, especially for drivers in the more rural parts of Kentucky.

“Now you got people driving an hour or more to get to one of these places. They stand in line for hours if they don’t have an appointment. Sometimes they do, even if they have an appointment. And it’s not anybody’s fault. It’s just a matter of fact that you have so many more people coming into a regional center than what we had going into a county courthouse to get their license renewed,” Jackson said.

Jackson said the benefits work in two ways. One, it gives rural drivers easier options for renewing their licenses, and two, it brings in more people through the doors of local businesses, potentially turning them into customers.

House Bill 161 still has a ways to go before it becomes law though. On Feb. 11, the House Transportation Committee approved the bill, sending it for yet another vote in the House. If the House approves the bill, it will then be sent to the Kentucky Senate, where more votes will be made. If the Senate approves, then the bill will head to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.

Jackson expressed confidence for House Bill 161, saying it’s gotten much support from other members inside the Kentucky House of Representatives.