DMV tells Appropriations it will modernize licensing system, governor not seeking extra DMV sweep

Rhonda Lamb, director of the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles, presented the agency’s budget and multiple modernization projects to the Appropriations Committee. Lamb said the DMV launched a project to replace its legacy driver licensing mainframe with a new system (go‑live targeted for January 2027), and the agency is changing vendors for license cards to reduce costs. She outlined a timeline to transition to print‑on‑demand license plates beginning with the 2029 issuance cycle and said plate numbers will still be assigned by county treasurers while production and mailing shift to the state system to improve customer convenience.

Lamb also described operational efforts including service center models and a Norfolk service center ribbon‑cutting planned for Feb. 23. Committee members asked about specialty plate revenue flows; Lamb said historically plate designs have aligned with beneficiary organizations and recommended continuing that policy.

Lee Will of the Department of Administrative Services clarified on the record that the governor is not recommending a $3.5 million transfer from the DMV cash fund after further review, though a separate VTR transfer of $1,000,000 remained in consideration. Will said uncertainty about DMV revenues and expenditures prompted the governor’s office to advise against larger sweeps that could jeopardize operations or deliverables.

Committee members thanked Lamb for cost‑saving measures and discussed potential impacts on future biennial budgeting, license plate bills, and county treasurer operations. No formal action was taken during testimony.