COUNTY ISSUANCE OF MOTOR VEHICLE LICENSES STUDY COMMITTEE

MINUTES

September 4, 1997 - Fourth Meeting of 1997

MEMBERS PRESENT

Chris Van Meter, Chairperson
Donald Breniman
Terry Dillinger
Robert Hagey
Nancy Richardson (as designee for Darrell Rensink)
Pat Milligan

Richard Johnson, Vice Chairperson
Peggy Smalley
Daron Van Helden
Wayne Walter
Mary Kay Williams
Sharon Winchell

MEETING IN BRIEF

Minutes prepared by Jan Simmons, Legal Counsel
Organization staffing provided by Mike Kuehn, Legal Counsel

Administrative Matters.
Committee Discussion and Action.
Future Meetings.
Materials on File With the Legislative Service Bureau.

COMMITTEE BUSINESS

1. Administrative Matters.

Call to Order. Chairperson Van Meter called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m. on September 4, 1997. The minutes were distributed, and all persons present signed an attendance sheet, which is on file with the Legislative Service Bureau.

Approval of Minutes. There was a motion made and seconded that the minutes be approved as written. The motion was unanimously approved.

Adjournment. The Committee adjourned at 1:55 p.m.

2. Committee Discussion and Action.

Presentation by David Snodgrass. David Snodgrass, an independent consultant specializing in driver's license issuance technology, made a presentation to the Committee regarding the present and future direction of technology in driver's license issuance. He began his presentation by reviewing the state of current technology, and noted that Iowa is equipped with the most current technology: the process is digital, involves two-sided printing, is machine-readable, and includes multiple levels of security.

Snodgrass next reviewed the future of issuance technology, which primarily will involve faster and more reliable versions of current printer technology, and will incorporate "smart card" technology, which involves the placement of a computer chip containing encrypted data within the card. Currently, four states are seriously considering moving toward smart cards, but such technology is realistically about 5 years away for most states. The cost of smart cards is significantly higher (exceeding $9.50 in a recent RFP from another state), but private industry (such as banks) may bear some or all of the cost if they may be able to utilize the technology.

Snodgrass also reviewed national trends in the physical composition of driver's licenses and issuance systems, including detailed discussions of card security and durability features, machine-readable technologies, photo storage and transfer capabilities, and issuance system integrity and integration. Snodgrass also briefly reviewed the state of third-party issuance (i.e. an entity other than the state), noting that most states do not use such a method of issuance. If a third-party is used in the issuance process, safety should be made the primary concern, and rules and regulations regarding the issuance process, including audits and penalties for noncompliance, should be strictly enforced to ensure a uniform issuance process.

Committee members asked some questions regarding equipment durability at the conclusion of the presentation. In general, equipment will last approximately 4 to 6 years, with printers evidencing the most wear and tear, and need for maintenance, according to the volume of use.

Subcommittee Reports.

Cost Subcommittee. Warren Jenkins, Chair of the Cost Subcommittee, reported on cost information from the Iowa DOT regarding the itinerant teams' incremental costs, and the follow-up work being done on the time study data from the counties.
Quality Subcommittee. Sharon Winchell, Chair of the Quality Subcommittee, reported that the customer survey was scheduled to be sent during the coming week.