DMV prepares for the start of AB 60
The Department of Motor Vehicles says it has been preparing for the start of AB 60 for months.
The DMV said they expect to process about 1.4 million additional drivers license applications over the next three years once AB 60 goes into effect January 1st.
DMV’s information officer, Jessica Gonzalez said,”We are very excited for Friday Jan, 2nd. We’ve been gearing up for this day for a long time and we’re just hoping the process goes really smoothly. We’ve been preparing for this we hope applicants are ready and that they’ve studied and that they pass on the first try.”
And to make sure they are ready the DMV just doubled the standard 45 day window to allow customers to schedule appointments up to 90 days in advance.
According to DMV employees, thousands of undocumented immigrants have already come here to the DMV to get the handbook that shows all the proper documents they need to bring when they try to get their license in a couple days.
The governor appropriated $141 million for the new law, $65 million in the first fiscal year. That money when toward hiring nearly 1,000 new DMV workers and open four regional offices.
Here on the Central Coast, Seaside and Salinas DMV each have one new hire. The Salinas DMV will extend operating hours and be open Saturdays from 8a.m to 5 p.m.
Assemblyman Luis Alejo of Watsonville said,”The main thing they wanted to be prepared, trained and be able to process the high number of applications that are going to come in.”
Teresa Munoz, the manager at Coast Auto Insurance said she welcomes the change in the law that means undocumented immigrants will have to meet the same requirements as other California drivers.
“You know they are driving anyways in the state of California so it’s better to have them licensed and insured so that they will cover the damages that they cause other people,” said Munoz
In anticipation of AB 60, DMV opened four driver license processing centers to increase capacity and process first time driver license applicants by appointments or walk-ins.
Only the processing center in San Jose will take walk-ins. DMV field offices in the central coast require applicants to make appointments.
Here are a list of appointments so far:
Salinas
1/2/15 — Full, 199 made
1/3/15 — Available appointments
1/5/15 — Available appointments
Hollister
1/2/15 — Full, 28 made
1/3/15 and 1/5/15 — Full
Seaside
1/2/15 — Available appointments, 109 made
1/3/15 — Full
1/5/15 — Available appointments
Watsonville
1/2/15 — Full, 71 made
1/3/15 and 1/5/15 — Full
