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Kentuckians, especially in rural areas, know what it feels like to take a day off work, spend money on gas and drive long distances just to renew a driver’s license. That frustration is real. It affects people across the state. We hear it every day when we talk with folks in our communities.
That’s why Senate Bill 7 was filed this session. As we said on the Senate floor, this bill is not a permanent fix. It’s a practical first step the Senate has taken to give Kentuckians relief now while we work toward long-term improvements in how the state delivers driver licensing services.
SB 7 gives local communities the option to help their residents with basic renewal services. It allows one of four local offices—circuit court clerks, county clerks, sheriffs or judges/executives—to take on renewals and duplicate licenses if they choose. If none of those local officials opt in, the county can enter into an agreement with a neighboring county to better serve its constituents. SB 7 gives people more access without taking anything away.
Under SB 7, if your county doesn’t offer local services, you can still renew online or by mail if eligible. Pop-up services may continue in many communities. The Senate proposal gives counties another tool to bring basic services closer to home.
The Senate quickly passed the bill, reflecting the concerns we hear daily from Kentuckians. It had 29 co-sponsors in a chamber of just 38 members. That kind of early support does not happen often. It shows how serious this issue is and how ready Senators are to act. The Senate quickly passed the bill, to the overwhelming approval of Kentuckians.
Some have argued that the bill doesn’t do enough, and we understand those frustrations. But we deal with the art of the possible, and Senate Bill 7 is more than possible. This year, the Senate put one forward in Senate Bill 7, a bill that carries significant momentum.
Some have called for all driver licensing services to return fully to Circuit Court Clerks. We understand that desire. However, that approach would require a heavy-handed mandate from Frankfort with no flexibility on implementation.
Facts matter, as do the realities of truly governing.
The issue came into focus in 2017, when Kentucky reluctantly moved to comply with the federal REAL ID Act. As implementation progressed, Circuit Court Clerks made clear they could not meet the new federal security and technology requirements, and that equipping all 120 clerk offices would place an overwhelming cost on local governments and ultimately our taxpayers. In response, clerks requested that the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet become the sole provider of driver licensing services. That request led to House Bill 453, which Governor Andy Beshear signed into law in 2020 after it passed the House 81–19 and narrowly cleared the Senate 21–17.
SB 7 respects constitutional boundaries and confronts political reality with a reasonable proposal. It offers a voluntary step toward something better than we have now.
We also want to be clear. We share the public’s frustration with how long it has taken to fix Kentucky’s driver licensing system.
Since 2020, the General Assembly has approved funding, opened more regional offices and passed numerous reforms. We passed laws that allow mail-in and online renewals. We approved third-party renewals through organizations like AAA. To date, that change still has not been implemented.
SB 7 is only halfway through the process. The Senate moved quickly and passed the bill to respond to years of concern from our constituents. That action created momentum.
We strongly encourage our colleagues in the House to pick up the conversation the Senate started and move it forward. Kentuckians have long asked for change. Let’s aim for better, as perfection is not possible.
We respect the legislative process and the House’s role in it. We also believe now is the time to act.
Let’s give SB 7 a fair hearing. Let’s give Kentuckians the relief they need. Let’s keep working together to find solutions that reflect what good public service looks like: listening, taking action and delivering results for the people we represent.
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Sen. Aaron Reed represents Kentucky’s 7th Senate District. He is the primary sponsor of SB 7. Sen. Jimmy Higdon represents Kentucky’s 14th Senate District. He serves as chair of the Senate Transportation Committee.
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