A Connecticut legislative committee is keeping the ban on issuing motor vehicle registrations to owners with delinquent property taxes.

Members of the General Assembly's Transportation Committee on Monday voted to keep the ban after hearing from cities and towns that they could lose five percent of their car tax revenues if it were removed.

Governor Dannel Malloy had proposed ending the policy to reduce wait times at the Department of Motor Vehicles. He argued that customers often make multiple visits to the DMV because they can't get a registration until their local taxes are paid off.

The bill would still allow the DMV to use private entities such as AAA to provide more services.

Independent contractors would be allowed to to issue duplicate licenses and identity cards pursuant to section 14-50a, renew licenses, renew identity cards issued pursuant to section 1-1h and conduct registration transactions at its office facilities.

Wilton Senator Toni Boucher says there is already language in state law allowing the DMV to outsource any service they currently have.  She says this part of the bill might not be necessary because of the existing statute.  She did acknowledge that it makes the next part, about increasing, fees possible.

The bill also increases the convenience fee contractors would be able to charge from $3 to up to $5, to each applicant for a license or identity card renewal or duplication, or for a registration transaction.

The legislation now moves to the House.