Louisiana governor declared state of emergency over motor vehicle system outages
After months of technical issues at Louisiana’s Office of Motor Vehicles caused by “outdated software,” Gov. Jeff Landry last Thursday signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency, and ordering modernization of the state’s vehicle licensing, titling and registration system.
Landry posted on Facebook that the “outdated software is causing crippling delays at the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles for the public.” He said the outages led to the closure of field offices and prevented public tag agents from processing driver’s licenses, vehicle registrations and reinstatement transactions.
The OMV system, which has been experiencing issues since a December outage, has been operating on a 50-year-old mainframe. It relies on more than 400 programs written in COBOL, a 66-year-old programming language, Landry’s emergency order said.
According to the governor’s order, problems with the OMV systems include a lack of redundancy, lack of space for new license plate numbers and difficulty searching for VINs and license numbers.
The order also suspended two procurement statutes related to technology, allowing for an easier path to upgrade the system. The order also waived the state’s $15 late renewal fee for licenses, and temporarily suspended enforcement of license expiration rules.
The order is effective until April 19.
The state encouraged residents traveling with an expired credential to carry a valid, unexpired license or alternative ID, such as a passport, when boarding commercial flights.
