Commercial recordings backlog eliminated

The secretary of state's office has cut processing times for commercial business filings from weeks to just two or three days.

Last October, responsibility for the state business license program moved from the taxation department to the secretary of state's office, with no additional staff to handle the work. At the same time, the office was reducing staff and implementing furloughs to deal with the state's budget crisis.

Wait times grew to 10 weeks for corporations to file their annual paperwork or get a business license.

Secretary of State Ross Miller took the issue to the February special session of the Legislature and lawmakers agreed the situation was jeopardizing a major revenue stream. They approved three additional staff for Miller's office.

Businesses now receive their new or renewed annual license in just two or three days. The same is true, Miller said, of all other transactions including filing articles of incorporation, initial and annual lists of officers, and stock changes.