Non‑punitive license‑plate diversion program presented as way to reduce uninsured drivers

A non‑punitive license‑plate recognition and diversion program was presented to legislators as a way to reduce New Mexico’s high uninsured‑motorist rate without adding costs to local governments.

Former state Representative Michael O’Gheen introduced the program and said New Mexico has a rising uninsured‑driver problem. “Right now, about one third of our driving population is uninsured,” O’Gheen said in committee remarks. He described a vendor model, introduced by Jonathan Miller and allied law‑enforcement voices, that combines automated rear‑plate reads with a diversion workflow rather than arrest or heavy fines.

How it works and what presenters said Jonathan Miller, the presenter who described the vendor service, told the committee the program is intended to be “less stressful, less onerous” for motorists and “at no cost to local government.” The system captures rear license plates, checks them against a daily “hot list” (insurance status and other flags), and routes matches to a law‑enforcement‑controlled adjudication workflow. Chief Paul Sell, a former IACP official in one of the program videos, emphasized three benefits: fewer court appearances, safer roads and no cost to participating police agencies.

Miller said the approach is widely used in other states and jurisdictions, and he cited examples of punitive approaches elsewhere to contrast the diversion model (e.g., Wisconsin fines up to $5,000; an example he attributed to other jurisdictions). He said the model can be configured so law enforcement controls any stop decisions, and the automated read itself does not automatically generate a roadside stop.

Local officials’ questions and clarifications Committee members and local officials asked about privacy, who receives notices, and how the system reaches owners. Miller said the system uses the plate and VIN to verify whether a plate is stolen or mis‑affixed, and that only law enforcement can act on an alert. Notices or diversion offers are then mailed to the registered owner; the vendor operates a helpdesk and an online portal where drivers can take an online diversion course and resolve their case without a court appearance. Miller explained a typical diversion cost in other jurisdictions is about $300 total; program rules in many areas allow payment plans as low as $50 per month, with half of collections retained by the local agency and the other half to cover program operations and equipment.

Public‑safety and civil‑liberties notes Presenters emphasized the system captures only rear plates (no faces) and that local law enforcement maintains control of any enforcement action. They also said the program can identify stolen vehicles, outstanding warrants and other priorities during plate reads. Several committee members asked about municipal and county authority; Miller said cities can adopt ordinances but counties in some states require legislative authorization or statutory tweaks. He said many jurisdictions have implemented similar programs without a state appropriation.

What the committee did not decide The committee did not adopt policy or funding. Committee members asked staff to coordinate additional conversations with municipal and county associations and law enforcement to resolve privacy, legal and operational questions.

Provenance: the matter was introduced when the chair announced a presentation on a no‑cost, no‑risk solution to uninsured motorists and included testimony from Michael O’Gheen, Jonathan Miller and a recorded statement from Chief Paul Sell.