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Committee backs bill to allow email plus postcard reminders and two‑year registration for non‑emissions vehicles
Summary
The House Transportation Standing Committee gave a favorable recommendation to HB 514, which would let vehicle owners receive both email and postcard renewal notices, default to email, and create an optional two‑year registration for electric and other non‑emissions‑tested vehicles.
The House Transportation Standing Committee on Feb. 20 voted to give a favorable recommendation to House Bill 514, a measure that would let vehicle owners receive both email and postcard registration reminders and create an optional two‑year registration for vehicles not subject to emissions testing.
Representative DeFe, vice chair and the bill sponsor, said the proposal grew out of a personal experience at a Division of Motor Vehicles office. “I would like both, and they said that is impossible. And I said, that is ridiculous, and I'm going to fix it,” she told the committee.
The bill would set email as the default reminder while preserving the postcard option; citizens could receive email only, postcard only, or both. DeFe said the change should reduce DMV printing and mailing costs. The measure also would let owners pay registration for two years in advance for vehicles that do not require emissions testing — the sponsor cited electric vehicles, trailers and off‑highway vehicles as examples.
Committee members asked several operational questions. Representative Thurston pressed whether the DMV expects revenue loss if owners miss email reminders and whether fiscal estimates capture that risk; DeFe said the DMV had not supplied that analysis and the fiscal note did not reflect it. Representative Peterson confirmed the bill does not impose a new fee for choosing email delivery; DeFe said “that is correct. No charge.”
Members also raised practical points about two‑year registration: how refunds would work if a vehicle is sold midterm and whether future fee increases would be captured for multi‑year payments. DeFe said she would defer technical details to analysts and the Tax Commission and welcomed suggestions about adjusting fee schedules to reflect year‑to‑year changes.
The committee moved the bill with a favorable recommendation. Representative Thurston made the motion; the committee voted in favor and the panel’s chair reported the motion passed unanimously.
