By Gary Lloyd
HOMEWOOD — Rep. Paul DeMarco has pre-filed a bill to allow cities in Jefferson County the authority to issue motor vehicle registrations, including license plates.
The bill would offer another alternative for Jefferson County residents and should help to reduce Jefferson County’s long lines.
“We have all seen the long lines for car tags at the courthouse,” DeMarco said. “Municipalities can be part of the solution by issuing motor vehicle registrations at city hall. It’s a common sense solution.”
The proposed law allows any city in Jefferson County to take part in motor vehicle registration, including the issuance of license plates. The city would not be allowed to issue a license plate for vehicles not previously registered in the state or in the name of the current vehicle owner. In addition, the city could only issue license plates to citizens of that city. The city would collect all fees and taxes in the same way as the county.
Last month, in response to a survey Trussville Mayor Gene Melton mailed to city residents, the response to the possibility of renewing vehicle tags at Trussville City Hall was overwhelmingly positive.
House Bill 112 has been assigned to the Jefferson County Legislation Committee for the regular session of the Alabama Legislature, set to begin Tuesday.
Contact Gary Lloyd at news@trussvilletribune.com and follow him on Twitter @GaryALloyd.