Senate hearing to consider alternative to driver surcharges

In January, the Senate Transportation Committee will hold a hearing on two topics: Evaluating the state vehicle inspection program and including an interim charge to "Evaluate the necessity of the Driver Responsibility Program and make recommendations for alternative methods of achieving the programs objectives."

The "alternative methods" language is encouraging. Interim charges on the House side before last session contemplated only mild tweaks to the Driver Responsibility surcharge, when really what's needed are "alternative methods of achieving the programs objectives," to the extent anyone can define them beyond "mulcting drivers for excessive fees."