According to Capital View…

One of the state agencies under fire for its work on the troubled vehicle licensing and registration system would be abolished under legislation introduced Monday in the Minnesota Senate.

Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Vernon Center, is proposing to eliminate Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) in its current form and create a new information technology division within the Department of Administration. The department’s commissioner, rather than the governor, would appoint a chief information officer to head the division.

Rosen said the bill was inspired by the problem-plagued launch of the Minnesota Licensing and Registration system (MNLARS).

MNIT Commissioner responds…

MNIT Commission Johanna Clyborne criticized the proposal.

“I am disappointed by the knee-jerk reaction to release a bill to disband Minnesota IT Services,” Clyborne said. “While I understand the frustration Minnesotans and lawmakers have with the MNLARS system, and I share it, this short sighted bill does not take into account the many successful projects that MNIT delivers on behalf of Minnesotans, nor would it help state government overcome the challenges inherent in modernizing decades-old IT systems and the government processes they support.”