Governor Backs Plan to Scuttle MNLARS

St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - Governor Tim Walz is throwing his support behind the recommendations of a Blue Ribbon Commission that was formed to address the troubles facing the Minnesota Licensing and Registration system.

The panel today issued a report that recommends abandoning MNLARS even though the state has already spent over $100 million developing and trying to fix the flawed software package created by the Minnesota Information and Technology Office. The recommendation calls for replacing it with a software package available from an outside vendor that is already used by about a dozen other states. The additional total cost is estimated to be as much as $86 million and it is projected it will take a little over 2 years to fully implement and deploy the new system.

In the meantime, the state would continue to utilize MNLARS, but would not expand additional resources other them to address and fix bugs in the system. Since its launch, MNLARS has been a headache for the state, the Deputy Registrars that sell license plates and tabs, and citizens meeting to apply or renew vehicle and drivers licenses. While acknowledging the moved to a brand-new system will be a challenge to all parties involved, the commission's report states it will put the state in a better position for the future.