Alabama driver's license office closures announced; Jackson, DeKalb stay open

Ben McDaniel of Henegar, Ala., begins to take the commercial drivers license test at the drivers license office at the Jackson County Courthouse on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015, in Scottsboro, Ala.
Ben McDaniel of Henegar, Ala., begins to take the commercial drivers license test at the drivers license office at the Jackson County Courthouse on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015, in Scottsboro, Ala.

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The schedules for the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency District Driver License offices are available online at www.alrenewal.com. The agency also has developed an interactive Citizen Services Locator Map that will identify and locate the closest office and the services it provides.

SCOTTSBORO, Ala. - Many of the folks lined up at the state driver's license office in Jackson County were there Wednesday because of rumors the office might close Oct. 1, the beginning of the state's budget year.

Gov. Robert Bentley warned in August that drastic cuts would arise from what he called the "unworkable" general fund budget proposed by lawmakers. He laid out a plan that would eventually leave just four offices - those in Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery and Mobile.

Last week, the Jackson County office dodged the state budget bullet - at least for now.

In an announcement that day from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, 31 satellite offices - part-time offices not owned by the state - were listed among those that would lose state driver's license examiner services.

However, offices in Jackson and DeKalb counties are unaffected.

The offices nearest to Chattanooga to lose examiners are in Cherokee and St. Clair counties, south of Fort Payne. The offices on the list issue less than 5 percent of the state's driver's licenses, according to the agency. Alabama Secretary of Law Enforcement Spencer Collier says the reductions stem from an $11 million cut to the General Fund.

The reallocation of the driver's license examiners came one day before the effective date of the General Fund budget passed during a special legislative session. The appropriation to the agency was reduced in the new budget from more than $55.7 million to less than $45 million, according to the agency's statement.

The state made some changes in July that officials said will alleviate the cuts in licensing facilities. Those include online scheduling, online driver's license renewals and duplicates, self-serve kiosks, digital licensing apps for smart phones, and statewide equipment upgrades.

"Since making that announcement, we have had over 40,000 transactions online," Alabama Secretary of Law Enforcement Spencer Collier said Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Bridgeport residents Tawana Stewart and her son, Stanley Stewart Jr., were among Jackson County residents worried about an Oct. 1 closure. Stanley, 17, was taking his road test. Tawana was dreading the possibility of driving more than an hour to Huntsville if the Scottsboro office was closed.

The governor blames state lawmakers for the lack of funding to keep the driver's license offices open - as well as state parks and National Guard armories that are in the budget crosshairs.

"The agencies have to work with the amount of money that the Legislature gave them," Bentley told reporters Tuesday. "It's not me that is closing anything. It's the Legislature."

After three legislative sessions and months of GOP infighting over tax increases, lawmakers earlier this month approved a general fund budget that contains about $82 million in cuts. Legislators approved a 25-cent-per-pack cigarette tax to minimize reductions, but rejected Bentley's call for larger tax increases.

The governor has drawn fire from Alabama Auditor Jim Zeigler, who has been very critical of Bentley's budget moves.

"It's clear as a bell. It is illegal for Gov. Bentley [to] close driver's license offices," Zeigler contended in a statement. He quoted from Act 2015-540, page 57, lines 4-16.

"It is further the intent of the Legislature that all driver's license offices and trooper posts in operation at the beginning of fiscal year 2015 remain in operation during fiscal year 2016 and that any reductions in force implemented by the agency during fiscal year 2016 focus on areas of operation not directly impacting services provided to customers," he stated. "Even an eighth-grader in Common Core history could interpret what this law means."

Zeigler said he is researching legal action to block the closure of driver's license offices.

Contact staff writer Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or twitter.com/BenBenton or www.facebook.com/ben.benton1 or 423-757-6569.

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