Legislature(2005 - 2006)HOUSE FINANCE 519
04/25/2006 01:30 PM House FINANCE
Audio | Topic |
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Start | |
SB250 | |
SB20 | |
HB386 | |
SB261 | |
Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ | HB 386 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | SB 250 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | SB 20 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | SB 261 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | TELECONFERENCED |
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 261(FIN) An Act relating to the designation of traffic safety corridors; relating to the bail or fine for an offense committed in a traffic safety corridor and to separately accounting for such fines; and providing for an effective date. MARY SIROKY, SPECIAL ASSISTANT, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION & PUBLIC FACILITIES, explained that the bill relates to bail or fines for an offense committed in a traffic safety corridor; it separately accounts for such fines. The Alaska Supreme Court and each municipality would be required to provide the scheduled amount of fine or bail for a motor vehicle or traffic offense in a traffic safety corridor and would be double the fine amount if the offense had not been committed in that area. Ms. Siroky pointed out that the bill also provides separate accounting for fines collected for traffic safety corridor offenses and for the 50% appropriation of collected fines to the Department of Transportation & Public Facilities for highway safety programs. SB 261 would have an immediate effective date. 3:47:17 PM Co-Chair Chenault asked if there would be a speed limit change on the Sterling Highway realignment. Ms. Siroky responded that safety zones do not always result in a speed limit change but rather a double fine including more patrolling of those areas. 3:48:30 PM Representative Kerttula requested that one be put in place on the North Douglas highway. Ms. Siroky explained that the Department uses information from fatalities and traffic accident rates for a three-year period average to make such a determination. Representative Holm asked why no fiscal note had been included for the Department of Public Safety. He did not understand how it could be patrolled without extra troopers. 3:49:38 PM JOHN MACKINNON, (TESTIFIED VIA TELECONFERENCE), DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES, noted there are Safety Sanction Funds available, to be used for additional enforcement. Those funds were generated from seat belt & motorcycle monies that the federal government withholds from construction programs for use of safety programs. 3:50:15 PM Representative Holm asked about the costs associated with extra hired personnel. Mr. MacKinnon explained that typically, the additional level of enforcement is handled through overtime charges. 3:50:43 PM Representative Weyhrauch pointed out that the House Judiciary Committee version adds sign intervals of every three miles rather than five and asked if that could add to the expense. Mr. MacKinnon thought that the traffic manual requires signs every five miles. The three-mile spacing would only happen in the safety corridors. 3:51:38 PM Co-Chair Chenault asked if there had been more fatalities since the realignment of the roads. He noticed from the backup that over half the deaths were related to alcohol or drugs. Mr. MacKinnon acknowledged that some of the maps indicate an accident increase after major reconstruction projects. He did not relate that to driver's speed, rather more likely due to volume on the road. The target of the legislation is driver's behavior, with only a small percentage of drivers causing most problems. Co-Chair Chenault understood the intent was to find careless drivers. Mr. MacKinnon agreed. In 2005, on the Seward Highway from Anchorage to Seward, Troopers wrote a total of 722 citations; in 2006, from January through March only, Troopers wrote 730 citations from the Girdwood Station alone, a change due to increased enforcement. He stated it is an effective tool. 3:54:07 PM LIEUTENANT JAMES HELGOE, (TESTIFIED VIA TELECONFERENCE), LEGISLATIVE LIAISON - ALASKA STATE TROOPERS, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, ANCHORAGE, offered to answer questions of the Committee. 3:54:43 PM PUBLIC TESTIMONY CLOSED 3:54:54 PM Vice Chair Stoltze noted the legislation seriously affects his district and that he appreciates the intent. 3:55:42 PM Co-Chair Meyer mentioned the fiscal notes and the Letter of Intent. Representative Weyhrauch interjected that the House Finance Committee should not adopt the House Judiciary Letter of Intent. Co-Chair Meyer agreed. 3:57:11 PM Representative Foster MOVED to REPORT out of HCS CS SB 261 (JUD) out of Committee with individual recommendations and with the accompanying fiscal notes. Representative Holm OBJECTED. Representative Holm thought that it would make more sense for the Department of Transportation & Public Facilities to lower the speed limit. Requiring a blanket "finding" mechanism is not right. Fines do not necessarily translate into better driving habits. He added, there are not enough police to effect the bill. Representative Holm WITHDREW his OBJECTION. There being NO further OBJECTION, the bill moved from Committee. HCS CS SB 261 (JUD) was reported out of Committee with a "do" recommendation and with fiscal note #1 by the Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, zero note #2 by the Department of Public Safety and zero note #3 Alaska Court System and new indeterminate note by the House Finance Committee. 3:59:43 PM Co-Chair Chenault spoke to his intent in addressing the Petroleum Production Tax (PPT) legislation during the next few days.
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