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Department of Motor Vehicles Subcommittee

Tuesday, February 10, 2026·1h 2m·▶ Watch / Listen

The DMV Subcommittee advanced seven bills and struck one from the docket, with the most contested votes coming on HB 911 — extending driver privilege card validity for noncitizens, which passed 5–3 — and HB 1344, which discontinues the Robert E. Lee license plate and passed 4–3.

Key Actions

·HB 811 – Special License Plate: SAVING LIVES TOGETHERPassed

+ 7 more actions

Controversies

Extending driver privilege card validity for noncitizens (HB 911)

Delegate Austin argued that extending driver privilege cards beyond two years exacerbates the issue of noncitizens not being on a path to citizenship, stating 'I think as we extend this out further than the two year period and we're doing, all we're doing is exacerbating that issue.' Delegate Lopez countered by focusing on the nearly $700,000 annual savings to the Commonwealth from running SAVE verifications four times less and called the bill 'a common sense solution' as part of an affordability agenda.

+ 3 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“Under the current driving privilege card system, non citizens are required to renew their licenses every two years, costing $50 every time they do. This is in stark contrast to the expiration period for traditional licenses which require citizens to renew every eight years and pay a $32 fee every time they do.”

Delegate Lopez — Delegate Lopez made this argument in support of HB 911, which would extend the validity of driver privilege cards for noncitizens to align with standard driver's license durations.

+ 4 more quotes

Votes

Move to report HB 811Passed
Move to carry over HB 1371Passed
Move to strike HB 1394 / HB 1494 [bill number unclear] from the docket at patron's requestNo Vote
Move to report HB 911 as substitutedPassed
Move to report HB 1224 with amendmentPassed
Move to report HB 1339 with amendmentsPassed
Move to report HB 1344Passed
Move to report HB 1386 with amendmentsPassed
No (1)Madam Chair
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TranscriptPreview
The DMV subcommittee meeting for the Transportation Committee will come to order. The clerk will open the roll and will take attend. Okay, let me check see what's going on here. Yeah, still thinking it woke up earlier. The committee will go at ease while we allow for some time to work on this technical issue. The meeting will come back to order as a quorum is present. The clerk will open the roll and will take attendance. The clerk will close the roll and we thank everyone for their patience as we had a work on a technical or. Yeah. Technology issue over here. I am just going to go down the list based upon those in attendance. So first up we have Delegate Carr with House Bill 811. Thank you Madam Chairman. HB 811 creates a license plate for the Richmond SPCA that bears the title Saving Lives Together and includes a picture of a black cat. Pets come to the Richmond SPCA from all over Virginia and beyond. Last year their Pet Support Services team worked with 66 other Virginia shelters and rescues to transfer pets to their humane center. These partnerships can relieve crowding at the…
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