Evening hours may not be required of county license bureaus

People who staff county license bureaus could get all their evenings back.

Along with dropping a mandate bureaus stay open for three hours after 5 p.m. or on Saturday, HF1519/ SF1399* would require the offices to be open 40 hours per week.

Rep. Nolan West (R-Blaine), who sponsors the bill with Sen. Jim Abeler (R-Anoka), said the bill would give county license bureaus the ability to set their own hours rather than have them prescribed by statute.

Passed, as amended to include House language, 69-51 Friday, the bill now returns to the Senate, which passed its version 41-24 May 8.

Current law states: “County license bureaus shall maintain hours to best serve the public. They shall be open to the public each week for at least three hours one evening after 5:00 p.m. or on Saturday.”

House Minority Leader Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) spoke against the bill. “For some people who have difficult work schedules, the bill would make it difficult to access these important services.”