LANSING, Mich. — The state Senate on Thursday approved legislation sponsored by state Sens. Kevin Daley, Curt VanderWall and Ruth Johnson that would help Michiganders who have struggled to get into secretary of state branches.
The three-bill package would extend the expiration of Michigan driver’s licenses and personal identification cards and require Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to reopen branch offices to walk-in, in-person services.
“We cannot have people waiting several months for what should be a 30-minute appointment,” said Daley, R-Lum. “Too many things need to still be done in person and we’re building up more and more of a bottle neck with every day that passes. People should not be getting tickets from the same government that is preventing them from completing the process to avoid the ticket.
“Michigan residents are being forced to endure the stress and financial burden of Secretary Benson’s policies.”
Senate Bill 507, which Daley sponsored, would extend the expiration of driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations until Sept. 30. The move would be retroactive to April 1. SB 508 would make the same extension to enhanced licenses and state ID cards, and SB 509 would apply the extension to standard state ID cards.
Under SBs 507 and 508, late fees would be waived until branch offices offer at least 25 hours per week of same-day, walk-in services with no appointment required. SB 507 would also stop the secretary of state from collecting certain service fees until SOS branch offices meet the 25-hour weekly requirement.
“Wait times across the state range from weeks to months,” Daley said. “Not only do people not have that kind of time, they simply deserve better from the secretary of state.”
###