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Solons criticize lengthy waits at OMV locations

by Walter Pierce

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - State lawmakers say they're getting hit with complaints about wait times at Office of Motor Vehicles locations around Louisiana, and they're asking for more details about the cause.

Members of the Legislature's joint budget committee said Thursday they want leaders of the office to return next month to explain why waits have spiked.

A report issued earlier this year by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Office said wait times have shot up to as much as an hour and a half in some OMV locations as Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration dropped staffing levels amid continuing budget cuts.

New Orleans Sen. Ed Murray complained that he waited nearly four hours for service at his local motor vehicles office. Rep. Kenny Havard, of Jackson, said he's gotten repeated phone calls about lengthy delays.