Grundy Reporter

Illinois Rep. Jackie Haas took to Facebook on July 29 to promote Secretary of State Alex Giannoulias' new "Skip-the-Line" program for the state Department of Motor Vehicles, in which 44 of the busiest locations will require appointments to shorten wait times.

As of Sept. 1, "customers will be required to make appointments for in-person visits for REAL IDs, driver’s licenses and ID card services, and in-car driving tests," she wrote. "All DMVs will have expanded hours on Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.- 5:30 p.m."

Giannoulias announced the Skip the Line Program on July 27 in news release which described the details of the program, such as simplified online services,  appointment scheduling, driver’s license and ID card services, and more. All DMV offices statewide will operate at extended hours, from Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., instead of the current Tuesday-Saturday hours. In addition, many other offices will be open on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m, he explained.

“Customers will save time by skipping the line," Giannoulias said in the release. "Our goal is to eliminate the Time Tax that has plagued Illinoisans for years, forcing them to stand in long lines wasting time – just to conduct basic services. Extending hours at all DMVs and requiring appointments at our 44 highest volume facilities is the most efficient way to get the services you need quickly and without the headache of unpredictable wait times."

Appointments can be scheduled up to 15 days in advance, and modified online after the appointments are made. The website provides information on what is considered acceptable forms of identification for these services. Illinois residents who want to make an appointment can do so online.

It will also be easy to find a local DMV office and its new hours of operation is easy. Giannoulias' office shared a document with all that information for the state’s more than three dozen DMV offices.

Haas (R-79) has worked as a social worker for three decades. She was first elected to Congress in 2020, and is currently a member of a variety of legislative committees, including the Health Care Availability and Access Committee, where she is the Republican Spokesperson, according to the General Assembly's website.