A bill that would provide eleven-plus million dollars to continue repairs on the state’s troubled vehicle registration and licensing system, MN-LARS, has a hearing in the Republican-controlled Minnesota Senate this morning. The bill would also require an independent review to determine if it would be more cost-effective to abandon the problem-plagued MN-LARS system, which has cost over 100 million dollars so far, and instead adapt commercially-available software to the state’s needs. Last week the DFL-controlled Minnesota House approved about 16 million dollars to continue MN-LARS development, plus an additional 10 million for deputy registrars across Minnesota who were financially hurt by the botched MN-LARS rollout.
Also at the Capitol today: House committee debate on a proposed Equal Rights Amendment to the state Constitution. And a Senate panel examines a number of bills that would provide mental health support services for Minnesota farmers.