HIGDON CARRIES BILL IMPROVING KENTUCKIANS’ ACCESS TO DRIVER LICENSING SERVICES TO SENATE PASSAGE

Approved unanimously by Senate, 37-0

FRANKFORT, KY (Feb. 20, 2024) — Senate Transportation Committee Chair Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, presented Senate Bill 91 (SB 91) on Tuesday. It was approved unanimously, 37-0, and now qualifies for consideration by the state House of Representatives. The measure would expand the public's access to driver's licensing services following state efforts to comply with federal REAL-ID laws, which resulted in the state’s transition into a regional model of driver licensing services.

Major provisions of Senate Bill 91 are:

  • Requires the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) to establish at least one driver licensing regional office within each Kentucky senatorial district by July 1, 2025.

  • Allows county clerks to choose to offer an operator’s license or personal ID card service.

    • Requires KYTC to enter into an agreement with those offices that wish to issue licenses.

  • Makes it possible for certain third-party entities to issue licenses.

    • The third-party entity would be responsible for paying the costs for equipment required to produce licenses and may charge a convenience fee for the service.

  • Establishes a Kentucky State Police (KSP) pilot project for skills testing to alleviate the travel of Kentucky high school students to regional offices.

    • The pilot project would run from Sept. 1, 2024, to June 30, 2026, and KSP would provide the skills test for an intermediate permit two times per month in five counties without a regional office, which would be limited to the residents of the counties.

“I’ve heard the many concerns of constituents in my district and from legislators about the inconvenience of regional offices,” Higdon said in a previous release from the Senate Majority Caucus following his introduction of the bill. “This bill will help a lot with a challenging issue, not just for our constituents but also for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and regional offices. The goal here is to provide Kentucky residents with more options, save them travel time and money, and improve the process of getting a driver's license.”

Follow legislative activity at Legislature.ky.gov and watch live legislative coverage at KET.org/legislature. Archived footage of Senate floor proceedings and committee meetings are available at KET.org/legislature/archives.

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Senator Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, represents the 14th Senate District, including Larue, Marion, Nelson, Spencer, and Washington Counties. Higdon serves as Senate Transportation Committee chair. Higdon is also the Public Pension Oversight Board co-chair.  He serves as an Education; Licensing and Occupations and Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection committee member. Higdon previously served as a Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Committee member, which was restructured as a part of the new Senate Health Services Committee.

Visit https://legislature.ky.gov/Legislators%20Full%20Res%20Images/senate114.jpg for a high-resolution .jpeg of Higdon. 

Please visit Legislature.ky.gov for more information on Senate Majority Caucus members and the 2024 Legislative Session, such as committee schedules, membership, legislation, and more.

Live legislative coverage is available at KET.org/legislature and via the Legislative Research Commission YouTube channel. 

Access archived footage of legislative meetings at ket.org/legislature/archives.

Follow the Kentucky Senate Majority Caucus on X, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also find information on caucus members, as well as view press releases from our office, by visiting KYSenateRepublicans.com.