What’s Happening
Have you noticed how hard it is to get a DMV appointment these days? Some folks are making money by grabbing those scarce spots and selling them to people who need them fast. Now, Nevada lawmakers want to stop this practice with a new bill.
Senate Bill 169 would make it illegal to sell DMV appointments or restaurant reservations without permission from those businesses. The bill’s supporters say these “scalpers” are taking advantage of people who need government services.
Why This Matters to Conservatives
This issue hits right at the heart of what many conservatives care about: the proper role of government and free market principles. Should the government step in and regulate what people can buy and sell? Or should people be free to trade whatever they value?
Jonas Frey, who started a popular appointment trading website, sees it differently than the lawmakers do. He believes his service helps solve a problem the government created.
“The reality is, before, it wasn’t available at all,” Frey told FOX5, explaining why people are willing to pay for DMV appointments that are supposedly “free.”
The Problem
The DMV in Nevada is often booked solid for weeks. Many people can’t afford to wait that long for services they need, like driver’s licenses or vehicle registrations.
Restaurant owners have their own complaints. Nick McMillan from the Golden Steer restaurant discovered someone had made over 40 reservations in a short period, likely to resell them.
“They’re just hurting all of these small businesses that can’t really fight back,” McMillan said.
Both Sides of the Story
Those who support the bill say these appointment sellers are:
- Making people pay for government services that should be free
- Taking advantage of limited availability
- Causing more “no-shows” at restaurants
- Creating longer waits for everyone else
But those who believe in free markets might argue:
- The service fills a need created by government inefficiency
- People should be free to trade their time slots if they want
- The real problem is that there aren’t enough DMV appointments available
- Government restrictions rarely solve the underlying problem
What Other Places Are Doing
Nevada isn’t alone in targeting this practice. New York already passed a law against restaurant reservation scalping earlier this year. California, Florida, Illinois, Hawaii, and Louisiana are working on similar laws.
What You Can Do
If you believe this law goes too far in limiting free market activity, you might want to contact your state representatives. Share your thoughts on whether government should regulate these kinds of transactions.
If you need a DMV appointment and don’t want to pay extra:
- Keep checking the DMV website for cancellations
- Try the Tuesday 8 p.m. release of Wednesday appointments
- Plan ahead for services when possible
What Might Happen Next
If the bill passes, websites that sell DMV appointments without permission could face penalties. This might make appointments easier to get for some people, but it won’t solve the underlying issue of long wait times at government offices.
Some conservatives might see this as another example of government creating a problem (slow service), then passing more laws to address symptoms rather than improving the service itself.
Whatever your view, this debate touches on important questions about free markets, government efficiency, and how much regulation is too much.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
