[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6338163,"mediaKeyId","2270585-38a4e6363e9d08b28e50e7a08c8a63aa","parentId",2270585,"title","House Appropriations Committee reviews DMV FY26 budget; $1.85M added for FAST modernization maintenance","audioSeconds",1191,"startMs",94495,"endMs",1286365,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2270585-38a4e6363e9d08b28e50e7a08c8a63aa&start=94&end=1286","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2270585-38a4e6363e9d08b28e50e7a08c8a63aa/thumbnail_94495.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6338163/Vermont/House-Appropriations-Committee-reviews-DMV-FY26-budget-185M-added-for-FAST-modernization-maintenance","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6338163-5efa61ca502683441ec0c6610dabe993/orig.mp4?Expires=1775495550&Signature=b~n3XGCq9OtzYNZX~URv5D5H1MEvCD5EAS82pfpF680gVg1nH2SlgxPbPTF3Lo~P4cUYDFfQCNgVEfqoDa635yDlzfaUfpiPSFdaSmykBy2tBYN7RJ~DFdoQEYtVUSajIAXwsBybe8fAo0-qO-j3hp7ILklmNtsCDstJ8PxbYGrpkCpKePMkcItdxLquxugX5wJXceQxayqtRkJlyMOmH8KpZW6VArxIE3PmHwJlF-99XXItvCtBAT8v1ifFE4865n0qXGKu-HWrcBe-FMr7NZuk~m~G6uwWqgLFtKZWbjy5aLmzXy7JNC~2O3dKQG-CxKl7BqDPsKOS0ejDZ8eWIw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-12T08:29:09Z","article","The House Appropriations Committee met Feb. 11 and heard a presentation from Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Andrew Collier and DMV finance director Courtney Coda on the department’s fiscal year 2026 budget and modernization progress.

The DMV’s proposed FY26 budget shows a $1,850,000 net increase in contractual services to support the final phase of the FAST core modernization project as it moves from implementation into maintenance and operations. Commissioner Andrew Collier said the final phase of the modernization is scheduled to launch in November. “We’re really excited for Vermonters to experience kinda new way of doing business with DMV and try to make it as frictionless as possible,” Collier said.

Nut graf: Committee members focused on how the modernization affects operating costs, staffing and customer service metrics. DMV officials said the modernization will reduce certain operating costs tied to manual processing and interoffice mail while creating a recurring contractual expense for maintenance of the new system.

Key budget details presented by DMV staff: a $420,000 decrease on the operating side driven mainly by reduced postage and network costs resulting from scanning and centralized processing; a $57,000 increase projected for equipment to upgrade printers and other devices; and a reported total revenue figure discussed in the presentation of $398,750,000, which the department noted accounts for a roughly $52 million transfer to the Education Fund that is not part of DMV’s operating budget. On the revenue side, DMV staff noted the purchase-and-use tax line referenced in the slides as about $105,000,000 (the department said that figure does not include the Education Fund transfer).

On staffing, DMV reported 245 authorized positions that will be reduced by 14 limited‑service positions hired for the modernization project; Collier said those limited‑service roles were interim and the department plans to bring its permanent headcount to 231. DMV staff reported vacancy improvements: where the department counted 31 vacancies in January, they said the number had fallen to 10 in the most recent week. The department also indicated it uses a built‑in 5% vacancy savings assumption in its budget.

Financial controls and carry forward: DMV told the committee it does not expect carry‑forward spending in FY26 and that $3.3 million had been carried forward in FY24. On audit status, officials said DMV had no single‑audit findings related to the department in the agency transportation audit and that the FY24 audit was pending.

Committee members asked about the timeline and costs of the FAST project. Collier attributed the project’s on‑time progress to close vendor-state collaboration and in‑state vendor staff working alongside DMV and the Agency of Digital Services. “FAST, the vendor bridal in employees in state, and they buy houses, rent housing, have families that come to the schools, and their team is here in state working side by side with DMV staff, agency of digital service staff, and really keeping this project moving, on time,” Collier said.

Committee chair and other members pressed on performance metrics the DMV will use after modernization. Collier and finance staff said the department tracks weekly measures—walk‑in counts, wait times, call resolution minutes and processing times—and intends to launch a customer survey to establish baselines. The secretary of administration (title referenced in the meeting) added that weekly reporting has shown marked improvements in average phone wait times and in‑office service times since the first phase of the project went live.

Ending: Committee members thanked DMV leadership for the briefing and noted the committee’s schedule includes other agency presentations the following day. No formal committee vote or budget action occurred during the hearing.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Appropriations - 2025-02-11 - 3:00PM","oneSentenceSummary","The House Appropriations Committee met Feb. 11 and heard a presentation from Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Andrew Collier and DMV finance director Courtney Coda on the department’s fiscal year 2026 budget and modernization progress.","taxTitle","Appropriations, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",30573,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6338160,"DMV says digital license wallet not part of FY26 rollout; voter registration and Lake Elmore racing jurisdiction questioned",555,696540,1252210,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2270585-38a4e6363e9d08b28e50e7a08c8a63aa&start=696&end=1252","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2270585-38a4e6363e9d08b28e50e7a08c8a63aa/thumbnail_696540.jpg","/articles/6338160/Vermont/DMV-says-digital-license-wallet-not-part-of-FY26-rollout-voter-registration-and-Lake-Elmore-racing-jurisdiction-questioned","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6338160-7bd35b2ebb314e629ebcbf95585f7b2e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775495550&Signature=BBE~bOoXfqFUc38rWWXJRNPmC8FOtk40TjkzkwIhmta3hffQSsTJ8TsVW87UeYvaVsVIxG5oXa8fJ7CAbf88xnybY1RKgsmD~ObCL7j6VoXG30d37BT7-RkoeleVG86lKZ~ViOoWWdU9J0QwPzt1LX4ZEdQz6COC9cY-svQlrN91witWkmDJdPIDfChRrWe~lNyo3udwtfeyPw6txrIYDyOyTRnXY56WFe8jtA22keP6k5uSeHi214usnLdAYvpA5xd5fRO57lq3eQWo2-Nhkf-Hz5PYTcNO3abLY0y6YejjsZHN-yNNer~62iFqosZeL9-sHSYY0iAVQSX8awwJ2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a Feb. 11 House Appropriations Committee meeting, committee members questioned Department of Motor Vehicles officials about operational services that could change with the FAST modernization and about jurisdictional questions raised by constituents.

Digital license wallet: Representative Jim Harrison asked whether the modernization’s second phase would allow Vermonters to store license information on their phones as a digital wallet. Commissioner Andrew Collier said several other states have begun offering a digital driver’s license that can present limited data to different audiences (for example, law enforcement versus a bar). “That is something law states have. The law states are moving that direction. Currently, that's not something we're working on as far as this rollout,” Collier said. When asked whether a phone photo could serve as a recognized Vermont ID, Collier said, “You can take a picture of your own license and have it in your your photos. So it's not a… It's not a Vermont recognized form of ID currently.”

Voter registration: Committee members asked whether DMV still provides voter registration when customers apply for REAL ID. Collier confirmed that customers can still register to vote when they sign up for REAL ID and said DMV is exploring options to bring registration online for the department’s roughly 24,000 non‑REAL ID holders; he said he had not heard of problems with the existing registration process during his tenure.

Lake Elmore racing jurisdiction: A committee member raised constituent concerns about people driving on the ice at Lake Elmore and asked whether DMV has enforcement authority. Collier described the situation as legally “muddy,” saying the unposted state highway default speed limit is 50 miles per hour and noting limits to enforcement where a roadway is unposted. He referenced “a section that deals with racing... on 23” that pertains to racing only when two vehicles compete against each other and indicated single‑vehicle maneuvers present enforcement challenges. A committee member asked to share the commissioner’s email address so constituents could follow up; Collier agreed to engage on the issue.

Ending: DMV officials said the topics raised—digital IDs, voter registration for non‑REAL IDs and safety/enforcement questions—are areas for further conversation as the modernization proceeds. No formal committee action was taken on these service or jurisdiction questions.

","During the Feb. 11 House Appropriations hearing, committee members asked DMV Commissioner Andrew Collier about whether the modernization would enable a digital driver’s license wallet, the status of voter registration at DMV for non‑Real IDs, and the department’s role in policing vehicle racing on Lake Elmore ice.","actionData","errors"]

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House Appropriations Committee reviews DMV FY26 budget; $1.85M added for FAST modernization maintenance

DMV says digital license wallet not part of FY26 rollout; voter registration and Lake Elmore racing jurisdiction questioned