Legislature(2007 - 2008)
05/15/2007 11:19 AM Senate FIN
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SR7 | |
| HB184 | |
| SR7 | |
| HB244 | |
| Alaska Marine Highway System Review and Approval | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 184(STA)
"An Act relating to a commemorative troops license plate
and to license plates available to disabled veterans;
relating to mandatory motor vehicle insurance, license
suspensions, and notices relating to motor vehicles and
driver's licenses; relating to registration of vehicles for
disabled persons; relating to the anatomical gift awareness
fund; and providing for an effective date."
This was the first hearing for this bill in the Senate Finance
Committee.
Co-Chair Hoffman moved to adopt committee substitute Version 25-
LS0621\V, Luckhaupt, dated May 14, 2007, as the working
document.
There being no objection, committee substitute Version 25-
LS0621\V was ADOPTED as the working document.
11:31:24 AM
REPRESENTATIVE BOB ROSES, the bill's sponsor, stated that the
bill would establish a process through which people could
purchase commemorative plates in honor of those serving in the
military. The money raised by this endeavor would be utilized to
assist military families with such things as activities, rent
and other necessities, and education scholarships. While, many
components of the bill have changed during its committee hearing
process, an amendment of particular note was one that expanded
the program to include families of individuals serving in the
Alaska National Guard.
11:32:38 AM
JOSH APPLEBEE, Staff to Representative Bob Roses, informed the
Committee that Version "V" refined and shortened language
contained in previous versions of the bill.
Mr. Applebee stated that several amendments were adopted during
the bill's committee hearing process. For example, the Senate
State Affairs Committee added language to Section 1 subsection
(d) page 1 lines 7 through 10 to specify that money donated to
the organ transplant program "may be appropriated by the
Legislature to Life Alaska, Inc." The intent of specifically
naming Life Alaska Inc. in the bill was to clarify where the
money donated to this program would be appropriated.
Mr. Applebee continued. The House Veterans and Military Affairs
Committee added language to Section 2 to allow disabled veterans
to continue getting their vehicle license plates free of charge.
The amendment served to exempt them from the federal requirement
that the international disability symbol be depicted on the
plate. "That's a personal choice that I believe we should offer
them."
11:34:14 AM
Mr. Applebee stated that language in Section 3 provided
specifics to the design and the printing of the commemorative
troops license plates proposed in this legislation.
Mr. Applebee noted that the House Finance Committee added
language to Section 4 subsection (f) page 3 lines 1 through 8
which would allow residents over the age of 65 with a
demonstrated disability to receive their vehicle license plate
free of charge.
Mr. Applebee stated that the fee pertaining to the commemorative
troops license plate is detailed in Section 5 page 3 lines 9
through 20 of the bill. The $40 fee would be in addition to the
regular license plate fee and would be earmarked to benefit
Alaska troops and their families.
Mr. Applebee noted that Section 6, page 3 line 21, specifies
that the legislation would become effective July 1, 2007.
11:35:19 AM
Senator Huggins asked for further information about Life Alaska,
Inc.
11:35:33 AM
Mr. Applebee advised that Life Alaska Inc. is non-profit
organization which facilitates the data management of
individuals who sign up as organ and tissue donors. Were such an
individual to die, Life Alaska would determine which organs were
available and where they would need to be transported.
11:36:07 AM
Senator Huggins asked for further clarification about language
in Section 1; specifically whether the money collected from the
purchase of the commemorative troops license plates would be
allocated to Life Alaska Inc.
Mr. Applebee clarified that the Division of Motor Vehicles
operated two donation programs: one for money donated by people
toward the organ transplant program and the other being the
commemorative troops license plate fee. The language in Section
1 referred to the organ transplant program.
Senator Huggins acknowledged.
11:36:59 AM
Senator Huggins asked whether the eligibility criteria for the
disability license fee waiver proposed in Section 2, would
specify that an individual must be a minimum of 50 percent
disabled.
Mr. Applebee understood that to be correct.
11:37:07 AM
Co-Chair Stedman, noting that Duane Bannock with the Division of
Motor Vehicles was participating via teleconference, asked him
to explain how the money donated to the organ donor program is
collected and allocated.
DUANE BANNOCK, Director, Division of Motor Vehicles, Department
of Administration, testified via teleconference from an offnet
location and informed the Committee that "the Anatomical Gift
Awareness Fund" was established approximately four years ago.
People visiting a Division of Motor Vehicle Office are asked
whether they would like to contribute to the Fund, also referred
to as the Donate a Dollar for Life fund. Donations have been
collected for the Program for approximately the past three and a
half years.
Co-Chair Stedman asked how the funds are dispersed.
11:37:59 AM
Mr. Bannock stated that that is the effort being undertaken in
this bill. This legislation would allow that money to be
allocated to Life Alaska Inc which is the organization in Alaska
"responsible of promotion of organ and tissue donation."
Co-Chair Stedman understood that the Donate a Dollar for Life
fund has accumulated approximately $60,000 to date.
Mr. Bannock affirmed.
Mr. Bannock disclosed that he was a volunteer board member of
Life Alaska Inc. donor services.
Co-Chair Stedman asked whether Life Alaska Inc. is the only
organization in the State involved in an organ donor program.
Mr. Bannock understood that to be true.
11:38:55 AM
Amendment #1: This amendment deletes the entirety of Section 1,
page 1 lines 5 through 8 and replaces it with the following
language.
Section 1. AS 13.50.160(d) is repealed and reenacted to
read:
(d) Money in the fund may be appropriated by the
legislature to an organization for the purpose of promoting
the donation program established in AS 13.50 and AS 13.52.
The amendment also repeals Alaska Statute 13.50.160(c). The
language being deleted reads as follows.
(c) Donations to the fund shall be segregated within
the fund until they are appropriated for use by the fund.
Co-Chair Stedman moved Amendment #1 and objected for purposes of
discussion.
11:39:17 AM
MILES BAKER, Staff to Co-Chair Stedman, distributed a copy of
Alaska Statute Section 13.15.160. Anatomical gift awareness
fund., which was the section of Statute affected by this
amendment and a copy of a May 14, 2007 memorandum from Gerald
Luckhaupt, Legislative Counsel, addressed to Senator Stedman
[copies on file]. The memorandum advised that the "direct
appropriations of funds to private organizations, even non-
profit organizations such as the reference to Life Alaska, Inc.
in Section 1 page 1 line 8 of Version "V", "may violate the
public purpose clause of Art. IX" of the State's Constitution.
Mr. Baker stated that this amendment would remove the reference
to Life Alaska Inc in order to address the Constitutionality
concern. The intent, however, is that the Legislature would
annually authorize an appropriation to Alaska Life Inc from the
fund. "The primary reason the money has not been spent is
because the Legislature just hasn't appropriated it."
Mr. Baker communicated that the Statutory language pertinent to
the Anatomical gift awareness fund was modeled after a similar
program adopted by the State of Washington. The Statute "is a
bit confusing" because that state's use of the term
"appropriations" differs from that of Alaska's.
Mr. Baker advised therefore that Amendment #1 would repeal the
language currently in AS 13.50.160(c) and would rewrite AS
13.50.160(d).
Mr. Baker stated that Life Alaska Inc. is currently the only
organ donor management organization in the State. The proposed
language could accommodate any other organization that might
conduct similar operations.
11:42:04 AM
Senator Thomas understood therefore that the amendment would
alter language in Version "V" to specify that the appropriation
to be made to "an organization" in general rather than a
specific named organization.
Mr. Baker replied that that was correct.
Co-Chair Stedman removed his objection.
There being no further objection, Amendment #1 was ADOPTED.
Co-Chair Hoffman moved to report committee substitute Version
25-LS0621\V, as amended, from Committee with individual
recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes.
There being no objection, SCS CSHB 184(FIN) was REPORTED from
Committee with previous zero fiscal note #1 from the Department
of Administration.
11:43:54 AM
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