Latest news with #MotorVehicleDivision
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
New Mexico's Motor Vehicle Division says vanity plate records request 2HARD
Sorry, New Mexico, but if you're trying to do a vanity plate public records deep dive, UR SOL. While other states are able to provide the public a record of personalized license plates that have been rejected after being deemed derogatory, obscene or some other reason, New Mexico claims the undertaking is almost MPOSIBL. The New Mexican in March requested all applications for personalized, vanity or prestige license plates that have been rejected by the Motor Vehicle Division since 2020 under the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act. The newspaper offered the division the option of providing a list of rejected license plates rather than each individual application to speed up the process and reduce its workload. The New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department, which oversees the division, closed the request the next day, claiming it had reviewed its files and determined "there are no responsive documents." "Rejections are done on a case by case basis," the department's Legal Service Bureau wrote in its denial letter. "You are requesting information which we have determined does not currently exist and would, therefore, require TRD to create a new public record," the letter added. "We are, therefore, unable to provide for the inspection of the records that would include the information that you have requested." The records actually exist; the department just doesn't keep track of them. "MVD's license plate application records are maintained by the customer's name or identifier," spokesperson Bobbie Marquez wrote in an email in April. "Once we have their information, staff can go to their file and locate the application in question." In other words, the newspaper — or the public — would have to know the name of each person who filed an application that was rejected in order to obtain the information. "Once the application has been processed, it goes to that specific person or vehicle," Kelly Kitzman, the department's general counsel, said in an interview last month. "We can't locate it unless we have that person's name to be able to locate it. ... We can't just go to a file and find everything." The information isn't unavailable but attached to an individual's name, she said. "So, if you know, for instance, Jane Smith filed an application that we rejected, we could look it up according to Jane Smith's name," Kitzman said. "But we can't just look up all rejected applications." Other states, however, are able to provide the information upon request. "In Texas, you can receive a list of denied personalized license plate patterns by submitting a records request through our Open Records Portal," Adam Shaivitz, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, wrote in an email Monday. "A previously released list from January–November 2024 is readily available," he added. "You can access this list by clicking on the Trending Topics box in the portal. If you need data from more recent months, please submit your request through the portal and specify which month(s)/year(s) you are seeking." Texas denied more than 2,300 personalized license plates between January and November 2024. They include BTCHWGON, IM BLZD, LITTLPP and TOPLUSS. Arizona's transportation department on Monday provided documents listing the rejected vanity plates by year, with MYFBOMB and KISSASH making the list. Earlier this year, Bridge Michigan, which describes itself as Michigan's nonpartisan, nonprofit news source, reported it had obtained a list of rejected personalized license plates through a public records request under the Freedom of Information Act. "The department doesn't track denials by year, but rather adds them to a continuously growing list," the outlet reported. "Plates are generally rejected for reasons such as vulgarity, references to bodily functions, or the use of curse words," it added. "Other reasons for rejection include references to drugs, alcohol, criminal activity, or harmful slurs. The list of banned plates runs the gamut from 'ADULTRY' to 'WEEDMAN' and just about everything in between." New Mexico has similar rejection rules. A so-called prestige plate application will be rejected if it is deemed to be derogatory or obscene, falsely states or implies the vehicle or driver represents the authority of a governmental agency or official or duplicates an existing plate. But a word of advice to New Mexicans: GOODLUK finding out if it already exists. Marquez said in a statement Monday the Taxation and Revenue Department and the MVD take the utmost care in complying with the Inspection of Public Records Act. "However, we are not able to fulfill your request in its current form, as your request results in no responsive records," she said. Marquez noted IPRA does not require a public body to create a new public record. "A member of the public may request to inspect a prestige plate application under the name of an individual, and MVD would produce the responsive application after redacting personal information that is confidential pursuant to state law," she said. "A member of the public may also request an individual's unredacted prestige plate application by providing the individual's name and a signed authorization from that individual."
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Deadline for Real ID is next month: here's what you need to know
Apr. 19—If your New Mexico driver's license does not have a bright gold star in the upper right corner, it could be time to make a trip to the Motor Vehicle Division and apply for a Real ID. The Department of Homeland Security announced that starting May 7, any person attempting to fly commercially or wanting to enter a federal building must have a Real ID in order to do so. While Real IDs are required for various federal activities, users have other options to identify themselves, including using a passport as identification, and users do not need the enhanced driver's license for any state offered services, New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department spokesperson Bobbie Marquez said. Currently, 80% of New Mexicans have a Real ID, Marquez said. Roughly, 370,448 New Mexicans have a standard driver's license, which allows them to legally drive in the state but is not accepted for federal purposes, she added. New Mexico began distributing federally-compliant identification cards in 2016, something Taxation and Revenue Secretary Stephanie Schardin Clarke said has helped reduce wait times at the MVD and stress for New Mexicans. "We're really glad we got an early start on this and that said, we don't want any New Mexican to be caught unaware and be surprised and unable to travel when that deadline hits," Clarke said. New Mexico adopted its two-tier license system in 2016, after a bruising political fight over whether undocumented immigrants should be able to drive legally. The current system essentially allows New Mexico residents to opt out of Real ID by obtaining a standard driver's license. New Mexicans who have a mobile I.D. will be able to use that as a federally accepted form of identification at Albuquerque International Sunport or at the Lea County Regional Airport, Clarke said. "When we went about designing our mobile driver's license, we made sure at the outset that it would be accepted as a Real ID and accepted by (the Transportation Security Administration), because we kind of thought, what's the point of issuing a mobile driver's license if it doesn't meet those requirements," Clarke said. "The TSA scanning equipment is also able to basically see that it's a Real ID and accept it for that purpose. MVD will continue to offer a standard license for New Mexicans who do not want or are ineligible for a Real ID. Other federally accepted documents include permanent resident cards, border crossing cards and more. "New Mexicans may have another form of ID that will be acceptable by the federal government for these purposes," Marquez said. "In addition to those who may not want a Real ID, there are some New Mexicans who are not eligible to receive a Real ID. "Eligibility requires the individual to have all required documentation to prove their legal status, and for the individual's legal name to match or be linked across all documents." To apply for a Real ID, individuals can make a same-day appointment with MVD. Users can also apply to renew their driver's license entirely online through the MVD website. Required documents to apply for a Real ID include proof of residence, an item with an identification number and proof of lawful identity. If approved, individuals will receive a printed, temporary license in place of a Real ID, which would be mailed to users within a few weeks, and can use the temporary license in the meantime. Journal staff reporter Dan Boyd contributed to this report.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Yahoo
REAL ID deadline fast approaching: What happens if you don't have one?
The deadline to obtain a REAL ID is rapidly approaching—New Yorkers must add a REAL ID seal to their state-issued ID or driver's license by May 7, 2025, to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities. Originally set to take effect in 2020, the requirement was postponed until May 2025 due to "backlogged transactions" at Motor Vehicle Division offices across the country, stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, USA TODAY reported. If you haven't yet obtained your REAL ID, or you're unsure how to get one, here's everything you need to know. The REAL ID Act, passed in 2005, established security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards. It also prohibits certain federal agencies from accepting IDs from states that don't meet these standards, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. By May 7, 2025, travelers over 18 will need a REAL ID to board domestic flights or access specific federal facilities unless they have another TSA-approved form of identification. Other TSA-approved alternatives include: U.S. passport State-issued Enhanced driver's license DHS trusted traveler cards (GlobalEntry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST) U.S. Department of Defense ID (including dependents' IDs) Permanent resident card Border crossing card Acceptable photo ID issued by a federally recognized Tribal Nation/Indian Tribe HSPD-12 PIV card Foreign government-issued passport Canadian provincial driver's license or Indian and Northern Affairs Canada card Transportation worker identification credential U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Employment Authorization Card (I-766) U.S. Merchant Mariner Credential Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) No, if you have a current U.S. passport or another TSA-approved ID, you don't need a REAL ID to travel domestically. No, if you have an Enhanced driver's license, permit, or non-driver ID, you don't need a REAL ID. In fact, an Enhanced license can also be used to cross U.S. borders by land or sea into Canada, Mexico, and some Caribbean countries. Without a REAL ID, passport, Enhanced license, or other TSA-approved identification, you won't be able to fly domestically or access certain federal facilities. To apply for a REAL ID in New York, visit your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). After submitting the required documents, expect to receive your REAL ID by mail within about two weeks. To apply for a REAL ID, you must bring specific documentation, including: Full legal name Date of birth Social Security number Two proofs of address Proof of lawful status For more details on acceptable documents, visit the New York State DMV website at Note that documents issued more than one year before your office visit will not be accepted. The REAL ID doesn't have an additional cost beyond standard DMV transaction fees. The REAL ID seal appears as a black circle with a white star in the top right corner of your ID. Enhanced licenses have an American flag emblem in the same location. For more information, including application details and necessary documents, visit the New York State DMV website at This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: REAL ID deadline fast approaching: What happens if you don't have one?
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Missoula judge finds DMV discriminated by not issuing driver's license
(Photo illustration by Getty Images.) A Missoula judge has found that the Montana Department of Justice and the Motor Vehicle Division has violated the state Constitution and discriminated against a minor who was refused a driver's license because they were nonbinary. Missoula County District Court Judge Shane Vannatta said the state had broken the law by not allowing an 'NB' listing on the license, which stands for nonbinary, and had refused to issue the license because the minor would not choose between 'male' and 'female' on the driver's license application. The decision also amends a finding by the Montana Human Rights Commission examiner who had originally found that discrimination likely occurred when it treated the youth, listed in court documents as 'M.B.,' differently than others. The individual hearing officer who originally found evidence of discrimination was later overruled by the Human Rights Commission because state law only allows for a binary option of 'male' and 'female,' it said. Furthermore, the HRC's final ruling said that while discrimination based on sex is protected, gender is not a protected class. Vannatta's decision upheld the original examiner's work. The parents of M.B. had also changed their child's birth certificate so that it also declared 'nonbinary,' part of the evidence presented to the court. Court documents reveal that the Motor Vehicle Division, Driver Services Bureau, does have the option of nonbinary and can issue licenses as such, but 'no action to effect such change was taken.' Instead, the Montana Department of Justice argued that 'the law is settled in Montana — sex is male or female.' 'The (plaintiffs) can only establish that M.B. has a subjective gender identity that is not a part of any protected class, and as such their claims fail under any set of facts,' according to the court documents. However, Vannatta said that the Montana Constitution Article II, Section 4 means that the 'equal protection clause requires that 'all persons be treated alike under like circumstances.'' 'M.B.'s accurately completed MVD application (based on M.B.'s Montana birth certificate) was not accepted and entered into the computer system by the MVD, and as a result they were denied a driver's license when the MVD otherwise affords services to cisgender individuals whose birth certificates reflect the same,' Vannatta said. The judge said that M.B.'s rights have been prejudiced because the MVD's conclusions were 'characterized by abuse of discretion or clearly unwarranted exercise of discretion.'
USA Today
31-01-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Audit: Arizona elections officials knew about citizenship tracking glitch as early as 2016
Audit: Arizona elections officials knew about citizenship tracking glitch as early as 2016 Show Caption Hide Caption Arizona officials certify 2024 general election results Secretary of State Adrian Fontes shares final vote totals for the presidential race as well as voter turnout numbers during the certification of the Nov. 5 general election on Nov. 25, 2024, in Phoenix. A citizenship tracking glitch in Arizona risks disenfranchising thousands of voters. The glitch originated from database transitions and coding errors that obscured the issuance dates of driver's licenses, impacting voters who obtained licenses before 1996. Although officials have taken steps to resolve the issue and verify citizenship for affected voters, new challenges are emerging, including a legal gap centering on U.S. nationals. The audit recommends increased communication and collaboration between state agencies to prevent similar issues in the future. A long-standing lack of communication between state offices led to a citizenship tracking glitch that risks disenfranchising thousands of voters — and other gaps may still exist in Arizona's voter registration statutes, according to a recent audit. The review, commissioned by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, found at least one instance in which elections officials came across the problem but didn't raise alarms with a state agency that could have helped fix the loophole. That incident occurred in 2016, years before the glitch was recognized in the lead-up to last year's general election. The probe also revealed a discrepancy in current state law that could allow noncitizens to register to vote under "certain narrow circumstances." The issue specifically applies to U.S. nationals, noncitizen residents of certain territories who are granted some rights and protections under federal law. Most are born in American Samoa. Hobbs' bipartisan audit team — former Coconino County Recorder Patty Hansen, a Democrat, and former Yuma County Recorder Robyn Stallworth-Pouquette, a Republican — said the number of such noncitizens residing in Arizona is "believed to be very small." Still, the findings are all but certain to send a shock wave through the swing state, which has faced an organized wave of election denialism since 2020. False claims of a stolen election made by President Donald Trump and other conservative figures have often hinged on the specter of noncitizen voting, even though evidence overwhelmingly shows it is rare. The citizenship tracking issue pertains to how the state's Motor Vehicle Division provided information to the state's voter registration database. That office is under the Arizona Department of Transportation, which reports to Hobbs. Roughly 200,000 voters statewide — most of whom lean older and are longtime Arizonans — are impacted. Those voters swore under the penalty of criminal charges that they were U.S. citizens upon registering to vote, and many have been on the voter rolls for years. But elections officials cannot determine with absolute certainty whether those in the group handed over citizenship documents as required by state law. They must now verify citizenship for the wide pool of impacted Arizonans. The issue was documented in media reports long before last year, according to the audit. ABC15 reported in October 2016 that a man who was not a citizen was able to register to vote in Maricopa County. The man told the news outlet that he attempted to register as a joke, but was shocked when he received his voter registration card in the mail. A spokesperson for the Maricopa County Recorder's Office said the man had exploited a loophole in the system, according to the article. The spokesperson's description of that loophole matches that of the citizenship tracking glitch. Officials also noted the man had lied on a government form in order to register, which is a felony offense. At the time, Republican Helen Purcell headed the Maricopa County Recorder's Office. Republican Michele Reagan, who is now a justice of the peace in Scottsdale's McDowell Mountain precinct, was then serving as secretary of state. Neither alerted MVD officials of the issue, according to the audit report. "No changes to interfaces or additional data were requested by the SOS or other election officials at that time," the report reads. Purcell and Reagan did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the findings. But they line up with a preliminary report on the results of an internal review conducted by Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat. That probe uncovered several records showing staff in the Secretary of State's Office had run into the citizenship tracking glitch several times during previous administrations — although it's unclear if elected officials ever were briefed. Both reports suggest that the pattern of noncommunication between the MVD, the Governor's Office, the Secretary of State's Office and county recorders continued for years under politicians of both parties. Even recently, the entities have clashed — the findings come after weeks of behind-the-scenes sparring between Hobbs and Fontes. Records show the two top state officials, who have long had a contentious relationship, haven't met in person since April 2023. The audit report states staffers with the MVD and the Secretary of State's Office currently meet monthly, but that the frequency of those meetings should be upped to weekly chats. Hansen and Stallworth-Pouquette also recommended that MVD conduct an annual training for county recorders to teach them about the agency's processes and procedures. "This audit revealed the necessity of maintaining close communication with state and county election officials," the report read. "Finding regular time to share information and build relationships between the MVD and election officials will help eliminate issues in the future." A spokesperson for the Secretary of State's Office said officials were still reviewing the audit. 'Overridden': Audit unravels how glitch happened The audit shows that the tracking error originated as state agencies transitioned between various database systems. Arizonans have been required to provide citizenship documents to obtain a driver's license since 1996. Years later, voters approved a ballot measure that mandated new voters prove their citizenship to participate in state and local races. When a person signs up to vote, elections officials check motor vehicle records to see if they have already satisfied the proof of citizenship requirement. However, the MVD coded its database in a way that could change the issuance date of an Arizonan's license and indicate they had proved citizenship even if they may not have. That means someone could have gotten a driver's license before 1996 without proving their citizenship, received a duplicate one that updated the license issuance date, and then were incorrectly registered to vote a full ballot. The audit dug deep into the exact details of how that coding error occurred. It found that the issue resulted from changes to a special interface system used by elections officials to pull information from the MVD. From 2004 to 2007, the interface system allowed elections officials to send a file of new or modified voter registration records to MVD in a nightly batch. MVD officials compared the transmitted voter registration forms to their motor vehicle database and relayed a response. In 2007, the interface system changed and MVD began providing elections officials with an extract of all of its customers with driver's licenses. The information transmitted included the prior issuance dates of driver's licenses. An update file was sent nightly by the system. But whenever a new nightly filed arrived, it overwrote existing data. That eliminated elections officials' ability to determine whether a license was originally issued before 1996. "This meant that, in some cases, election officials were verifying citizenship against the wrong issuance date," the audit report read. In April 2020, MVD replaced its 1980s-era motor vehicle database with a new, cloud-based system. That necessitated a new interface system, which is still used today. It provides same data elements as the old system, including prior license issuance dates, on a "real-time, as requested basis," per the audit ― and this version of the interface doesn't overwrite previously existing information. But the prior error still allowed a group of voters to slip through the cracks. Officials initially estimated the size of the group at about 98,000 voters. Later, they revised the number up to well over 200,000. That new number resulted from a change in search parameters. Initially, MVD officials only included people who had possessed a license before 1996 and either never updated it or later received a duplicate license while searching their database to compile the list of potentially affected Arizonans. The second database search used broader parameters that included people who had similarly held a license before 1996 but later received a renewed or reinstated license. In doing so, the search identified more impacted voters. "Had the VRAZ-II system not overridden the original data, the SOS would have had the information necessary to verify pre-1996 issuance dates," the audit read. Officials continue efforts to resolve issues The Arizona Supreme Court stepped in last fall to allow affected voters to receive a full ballot for the November election. While state law dictates those who haven't proved citizenship cannot vote in state and local races, voters affected by the glitch have historically been eligible to vote a full ballot. That decision bought state and local officials time to resolve the problem. But county recorders across the state must now verify citizenship for a wide pool of impacted Arizonans before this year's jurisdictional elections. The first — an election on a proposed half-cent sales tax increase in Tucson — will be held March 11. Multiple municipalities statewide will participate in another election May 20. A spokesperson for the Secretary of State's Office previously confirmed that recorders recently received a full list of impacted voters in their respective counties. The office worked with MVD to locate proof of citizenship for affected voters, narrowing down the list by about 20,000 people before it went out to recorders statewide. Meanwhile, Hobbs set aside $200,000 from the state's COVID-19 recovery money for the project. Counties now can request those dollars to help with the costs associated with verifying the citizenship of affected Arizonans. Documents also show top staffers at the Secretary of State's Office have discussed with county recorders proposals to manage notices to impacted voters. Some county recorders say details of that process remain in limbo. Officials have also taken steps to ensure more Arizonans won't be added to the list of impacted voters, per the audit report. At Fontes' request, MVD altered the interface system to create responses that will help elections officials flag voters with pre-1996 credentials going forward. But new challenges are quickly emerging. The audit found an additional 7,265 voters with inactive driver's licenses received before 1996. Those voters may also be impacted by the glitch. "The SOS and county recorders should decide how to proceed with this list," the audit report read. State lawmakers will also need to determine how to handle the gap in current law that could allow U.S. nationals — who are not citizens — to register to vote. MVD currently has "no practicable way" to ascertain how many U.S. nationals have an Arizona-issued driver's license, per the audit. The report notes that all voter registration forms and the state's online registration portal include "a clear disclaimer" that applicants must be citizens. Voters are required to attest to their citizenship under the penalty of perjury, meaning they can face criminal charges for lying. Contentious: Voter registration glitch sparks new conflict between Fontes, Hobbs Sasha Hupka covers county government and election administration for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at Follow her on X: @SashaHupka. Follow her on Instagram or Threads: @sashahupkasnaps. Follow her on Bluesky: @
