OMV Commissioner Kay Hodges Retiring

Commissioner Hodges spent her entire career with the Office of Motor Vehicles, working in various positions in her first 26 years as a classified state employee. Hodges served an additional Fourteen years as OMV Commissioner. She was reappointed to head the agency by Edmonson in 2008.

As Commissioner, Hodges placed an emphasis on customer-friendly service and increased efficiency in all areas of OMV operations. Through procedural and technological improvements and the outsourcing of certain administrative functions, Hodges and her staff were able to improve and streamline OMV operations across the state. Some of the most notable achievements of OMV under her leadership include:

· Improving customer service efficiency at field service offices by merging driver’s license and vehicle registration/titling functions;
· Establishing E-Commerce transactions for renewal of license plates, driver’s licenses, forms access, and fee transactions through the internet;
· Replacing renewal stickers for driver’s licenses and identification cards with reconstructed credentials, resulting in better security and improved usability;
· Establishing partnerships with parishes and municipalities to construct or renovate 43 customer service offices;
· Implementing the Commercial Driver’s License Information System, the Program for Graduated Driver’s License for Minors, the Privacy Protection Act and the National Motor Vehicle Title and Information System;
· Establishing a partnership with the Secretary of State and the Registrar of Voters to register citizens to vote, with 62% of new registrants obtained through OMV;
· Establishing a partnership with Donate Life Louisiana/Legacy Donor Foundation, enrolling 1.8 million organ donors in the program;
· Implementing the Electronic Lien Title System to reduce paperwork for lending institutions; and
· Establishing a partnership with the Social Security Administration for online verification of social security numbers prior to issuance of driver licenses.

In addition to her position as OMV Commissioner, Hodges has served on the American Association of Motor Vehicles’ International Board of Directors as Secretary and Vice-Chair, and as AAMVA’s Region II Vice-President and President. She has been Chairman of the Vehicle Registration Committee, Motor Carrier Services Committee, and a member of the Uninsured Motorists Working Group and Driver’s License Standards Working Group for AAMVA. Hodges has also served on the Governor’s DWI Task Force, the Louisiana Property and Casualty Insurance Committee and the Midwest Odometer and Title Fraud Enforcement Association.

“It has been a pleasure having Kay on my team at the Department of Public Safety as Commissioner of the Office of Motor Vehicles,” Edmonson said. “When we talk about public service, dedication to duty, and commitment to success – look no further than Kay Hodges. After 40 years of service to Louisiana’s citizens, we thank her and wish her well in her retirement.”

Governor Bobby Jindal said, “Commissioner Hodges has been a tireless public servant for four decades and I want to thank her for dedicating her time to the state. Her years of work have helped make the Office of Motor Vehicles more efficient and more responsive for the people of Louisiana.”