1930: Birmingham Urges Passage of His Bill to Modify Registrar of Motor Vehicles Authority

Rep. Birmingham urged passage of his bill to provide that the Registrar of Motor Vehicles inform any person summarily punished of his right to make an appeal within 10 days, during a Feb. 13 hearing before the House Committee on Highways and Motor Vehicles (Boston Herald, Feb. 14, 1930, p. 13).

The hearing was held to review legislation that would modify the authority of the registrar of motor vehicles.

One bill would prevent the registrar from suspending or revoking licenses until the offenders had been convicted. Another bill would prevent the registrar from suspending or revoking the license of any operator for any minor offense until he had been given a hearing.

Representatives of the governor’s Committee on Street and Highway Safety spoke against the legislation.

Lloyd A. Blanchard, executive secretary of the committee, warned that the legislation would undermine the registrar’s control and public safety. He said that the bills would permit an offender to continue to drive for months while awaiting trial.

“One of the basic fundamentals of the registrar’s duties is the application of summary action to drivers apprehended while driving unsafely,” Blanchard said.