County Clerks Lukewarm on Driver's License Issuance

From Kentucky Public Radio's Tony McVeighCounty clerks in Kentucky appear lukewarm to the idea of taking over the issuance of state driver’s licenses from circuit court clerks.Currently, to get a driver’s license, you go to your local circuit court clerk’s office. But circuit clerks primarily deal with court matters.County clerks, on the other hand, issue car tags. Why not let them also dispense licenses?That’s fine with the Kentucky Association of Circuit Court Clerks, says president Kirk Tolle.“We will not oppose the removal of the driver’s license function from the circuit clerks’ offices," says Tolle, "if it is in the best interest of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Kentucky to do so.”But the response from county clerks is muted. In a recent poll conducted by their association, only 77 of 120 county clerks responded. Twenty-seven said yes, 45 said no, two said maybe and the rest wanted more information.Look for more discussion on this issue prior to the January start of the 2010 General Assembly.