Lawmakers still want more access to driver's license offices in rural areas

MONTGOMERY – The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s agreement to expand the hours of Black Belt driver’s license offices doesn’t apply to Lawrence or Franklin counties, but some area lawmakers say they’ll continue to push for broader access.

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced this week it reached an agreement with ALEA to extend driver’s license office availability in several Black Belt counties.

Citing budget concerns in late 2015, ALEA closed 31 part-time offices with low traffic numbers, including the offices in Lawrence and Franklin counties. That also included eight of the state’s 11 predominately African-American counties. After backlash from the public, they were re-opened one day per month.

Under the new agreement with the DOT, ALEA will double or triple the hours of offices in many of the Black Belt counties, an area named for its rich, dark soil. The federal agency said its investigation revealed that African-American residents in the Black Belt were disproportionately underserved, the Associated Press reported.

Read more: http://www.timesdaily.com/news/state-capital/lawmakers-still-want-more-access-to-driver-s-license-offices/article_da6f9b6d-f4ad-59e3-865c-e3f9e0b12b81.html