Legislature(2011 - 2012)CAPITOL 106
02/15/2011 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB71 | |
| SB33 | |
| HB92 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 71 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 33 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 92 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 92-LAO VETERANS LICENSE PLATES
9:23:11 AM
CHAIR LYNN announced that the last order of business was HOUSE
BILL NO. 92, "An Act relating to special request Lao veteran
registration plates; and providing for an effective date."
9:23:28 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN, as prime sponsor, introduced HB 92. He
said the bill would honor Hmong veterans who fought with and for
the United States during the Vietnam War. During that war, he
said, the CIA organized a Hmong army in Laos, which performed
important combat support missions for the U.S. military,
including the rescue of U.S. Air Force pilots that were shot
down and the disruption of North Vietnamese supply lines along
the Ho Chi Minh Trail. As a result, he said, the Hmong people
faced persecution and genocide after the U.S. withdrew from
Southeast Asia. Many Hmong left Asia and moved to the U.S.,
where they were granted asylum under the Indochina Migration and
Refugee Assistance Act of 1975. Representative Petersen said
there is a growing Hmong population in Alaska, and HB 92 is one
small way for expressing appreciation for their service and
assistance during the Vietnam War.
9:24:56 AM
CHAIR LYNN handed the gavel to Vice Chair Keller.
9:25:38 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG noted that the language on page 1,
lines 6-7, relates that the bill would commemorate the license
plate owner's service in combat in support of U.S. military
operations in the Kingdom of Laos, whereas the sponsor statement
indicates that the license plate recipients would recognize and
honor Lao veterans who fought in support of the U.S. He stated
his belief that the language of the bill could be interpreted to
mean that Americans who fought would be included.
9:27:04 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN explained that the intent of the bill is
to honor veterans of Laotian decent who have since immigrated to
America.
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said he thought that was the sponsor's
intent, but said the language of the bill does not seem to limit
the issue of the license plates to those former Laotians. He
recommended checking with the bill drafter to narrow the
language.
9:29:34 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG reiterated that the current language
may allow non-Laotians who fought in Laos in support of U.S.
military operations to receive that license. He suggested an
amendment may be necessary to clarify the sponsor's intent.
REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN said although it was not his intention
to allow military veterans who fought in Laos who were not
originally from Laos to qualify for the proposed license plate,
he surmised they could order the license plate if they wanted to
honor their service in Laos.
9:32:16 AM
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER remarked that certification would be
different for someone originally from Laos than it would be for
an American who fought there.
9:32:54 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON offered his understanding that the words
"owner's service" on page 1, line 7, would mean that someone
leasing a car would not be eligible. He then asked whether the
sponsor would like to allow descendants to qualify, because, if
so, language to that effect would need to be added.
REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN said he is glad Representative Seaton
pointed that out, because he said he would not want to exclude
someone wanting to honor a relative who had served.
9:34:14 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JOHANSEN questioned what sort of documentation a
person would have to bring to the Division of Motor Vehicles
(DMV).
DAVID BREMMER, Staff, Representative Pete Petersen, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Petersen, sponsor,
responded that several criteria have been set out by the federal
government under the Hmong Veterans' Naturalization Act of 2000,
which exempted Laotians who came to the U.S. from having to take
the English language test and citizen test. He indicated that
allowable documentation [for the former Laotian who fought for
the U.S. and is trying to obtain the proposed license plate] may
include: military orders from the U.S. government; an affidavit
signed by a military officer; two affidavits from soldiers who
served with the Laotian; photographs of the Laotian in training
or with certain Laotian generals.
9:38:14 AM
REPRESENTATIVE JOHANSEN said by the next bill hearing he would
like clarification regarding exactly who would qualify under HB
92, because he does not want these license plates to be given to
just anyone or for people to be sporting a plate and bragging
about something in which they were not involved, because that
would be disrespectful.
9:39:25 AM
REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON directed attention to a sentence on
page 1, [beginning on line 10], which read as follows:
To be issued a registration plate under this
subsection, the owner must present evidence
satisfactory to the department that the owner served
in combat as required by this subsection.
9:40:28 AM
VICE CHAIR KELLER commended the bill sponsor for bringing the
bill forward and encouraged him to get further clarification.
He said the Hmong people were left with enemies at home when the
U.S. pulled out of the war.
9:40:53 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG related his experience in the military
to illustrate that "in combat" is a technical term. He
explained that someone may have been involved in conflict but
not have shot a gun, thus, he recommended that the sponsor
clarify whether that person would be included.
VICE CHAIR KELLER handed the gavel back to Chair Lynn.
9:43:14 AM
CHAIR LYNN said he has heard good things about those from Laos
who moved to the U.S. and have assimilated in this country. He
talked about other indigenous tribes, such as Miao and
Montagnards, who were in the area in Vietnam, and he asked the
bill sponsor if he would consider them in this bill.
9:46:12 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN noted that the term Montagnards was
coined by the French to mean "mountain people." He indicated
that the Hmong is a larger group that may incorporate some of
the others.
CHAIR LYNN asked that the bill sponsor check to see if there are
any peoples calling themselves Montagnards who may be interested
in this or a similar license plate.
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER, in response to the chair, recommended
that the bill be held for another hearing.
9:49:48 AM
WHITNEY BREWSTER, Director, Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV),
Department of Administration, said the DMV does not oppose HB
92, but emphasized the importance to the DMV of the topic of
evidence that would be brought forth to the division. She
stated her understanding that under the bill, as currently
written, anyone who served in Laos during that war would
qualify, not just those who are originally from Laos. Further,
she said she thinks the bill would need to be amended if the
intent is to include descendants. In response to Representative
Seaton's point that those who leased a car would not qualify,
she suggested that the word "applicant's" could replace the word
"owner's"
CHAIR LYNN recommended the committee be careful when identifying
ethnic or racial groups in correlation with designating license
plates.
9:51:52 AM
MS. BREWSTER, in response to Representative Gruenberg, said she
believes the DMV has the regulatory powers to carry out the
bill.
9:52:49 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN asked Ms. Brewster what documentation is
required for other specialized license plates.
MS. BREWSTER answered that, for example, to obtain a Gold Star
Family plate, a person must bring any document that has been
issued by the military or an obituary. She said the division
could use those criteria "as evidence of eligibility for the
plate."
9:54:33 AM
CHAIR LYNN, after ascertaining that there was no one else who
wished to testify, closed public testimony.
[HB 92 was held over.]