Santa Maria may see a new DMV field office in the coming years, if one Central Coast lawmaker has her way.
Local State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson helped get more than 15 million dollars added to the Governor's budget proposal to build a new DMV facility.
The current field office was built in 1969 and since then the city's population has tripled. Senator Jackson says the city needs a new DMV now more than ever.
"It's an antiquated facility. I know that there have been extraordinarily long wait times. In addition, we now have the mandate of AB 60, which is anticipated will be resulting in approximately a million and a half additional people receiving their driver's licenses over the next three years," Jackson said. "So it's really important that the DMV be able to accommodate those people."
Jackson says the new DMV will address existing facility and staffing shortfalls. She anticipates building the facility will take four or five years. She says she will do everything in her power to keep these funds in place when the budget is adopted in June.