Fiscal Review approves $8M amendment to Department of Safety driver-licensing system; members pressed for breakdown of costs

The Fiscal Review Committee approved an amendment to the Tennessee Department of Safety's automated license issuance system contract that increases the agreement's maximum liability and extends its end date.

The amendment adds roughly $8 million to the department's existing contract and sets a new maximum liability the department listed as $20,392,500, according to testimony to the committee. The agency said the additional funds are needed to add short-term features and interfaces, including SMS-based two-factor authentication for certain online services.

The change drew sustained questioning from members who pressed the department for a line-by-line justification. Representative Bricken said the original contract was about $12 million and that the amendment's $8 million increase was "a pretty significant increase."…