DMV head to face questioning from NC lawmakers

Lawmakers are poised to question the head of the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles Thursday, an interrogation that comes as the division faces mounting delays in issuing driver licenses and identification cards — and as lawmakers seek more control over who runs the division.

DMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin, who underwent a grilling by Senate lawmakers in February, is scheduled to go before the House Oversight and Reform Committee Thursday. He’s expected to update lawmakers on wait times, unfilled positions, efforts to protect customers from identity fraud and customer service amid lengthy delays for new licenses.

Problems with a contractor that makes physical licenses and ID cards for the state have delayed delivery of new cards to customers, the division says. A typical 15-day turnaround to receive IDs in the mail has jumped to roughly six weeks, the division said last month. At the time, there were about 50,000 per week added to the backlog across the state, according to the state DMV.

“By every other general metric of which I’m aware DMV is better now than it was two years ago,” Goodwin said in remarks prepared ahead of Thursday’s hearing. “Recognizing that there remains much work to be done to meet the previously stated goals — especially in a state that has significantly grown by 3 million citizens since 2000 — it is important to identify the many modernization changes and customer-friendly improvements over the last two years and to determine what our growing State needs to provide DMV services more efficiently to North Carolinians.”

Thursday’s hearing would be the latest showdown in recent months between Republican lawmakers and Goodwin, a Democrat who formerly served in the House. In February, Senate lawmakers pressed Goodwin and his staff about customer service complaints.

The division has come under scrutiny over complaints about difficulty making appointments, getting permits or licenses, long lines and long wait times. Goodwin said at the time that the agency was making swift progress in some areas, especially staffing shortages.

The division has been pushing for changes, including the implementation of digital licenses and ID cards, which would allow customers to renew or update without standing in long lines or taxing in-person staff.

Appointment power

Concerns about long wait times and lack of staffing have caused some lawmakers to push for privatizing some or all of the DMV’s functions. They’re also contemplating ways to siphon more appointment powers from the governor.

A proposal discussed Wednesday would give lawmakers some say in who gets the commissioner job. Under House Bill 309, the governor would nominate a candidate to become DMV commissioner, but the nominee would need approval from the state Senate to be seated in the position.

Sen. Michael Lazzara, R-Onslow, who’s leading the effort, presented the idea to the Senate Transportation Committee meeting on Wednesday.

“Each new administration blames a lack of progress on its predecessor while failing to make measurable improvement during their tenure,” Lazzara said. “We as legislators need tools in our toolbox to provide proper oversight for this division.”

Lazzara faced pushback over the proposal from from Democrats in the Senate Transportation Committee on Wednesday.

“This is an erosion of authority,” said state Sen. Julie Mayfield, D-Buncombe.

State Sen. Mary Wills Bode, D-Wake, asked Lazzara if he is interested in confirming leaders of other state government divisions with budgets similar to that of the DMV. Lazzara said no and accused Bode of overlooking the main issue: The DMV stands out, he said, because people have complained about it for a long time.

State Sen. Buck Newton, R-Wilson, said the senate already has the opportunity to confirm the governor’s nominee to direct the State Bureau of Investigation.

“This isn’t all that different,” he said. “We’re talking about a critical function that could be, policywise and leadershipwise, really detrimental to the public if it’s not well-run.”

State Sen. Mike Woodard, D-Durham, said he feared Lazzara’s bill could set a precedent where legislators change the confirmation rules for government officials that they don’t like.

“I see a very slippery slope here,” Woodard said.

“I just don’t think it’s our job to go into these agencies and start picking these division heads because we have questions of performance about a commissioner or a division head,” Woodard said. “We need to hold the governor and the secretaries accountable to hire and fire their people.”

LPAs and kiosks

Goodwin is expected to also update lawmakers on third-party license plate agencies, or LPAs, which are small businesses that contract with the state to handle license plate purchases and replacements.

Several LPAs were shut down by the DMV in recent years due to contract or legal violations. There are 129 LPAs, but only 121 are currently open. At least seven offices have opened this year. And at least seven more are expected to open this year, according to Goodwin’s prepared remarks.

Goodwin could also provide updates on the performance of self-serve DMV kiosks, which became available to customers in February at three Harris Teeter grocery stores in Raleigh, Fayetteville and Charlotte. The kiosks allow drivers to renew their licenses or conduct other DMV business at the kiosks. Through May 29, about 2,000 people had completed transactions at the kiosks, according to Goodwin.