Legislature(2005 - 2006)CAPITOL 106
03/14/2006 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB475 | |
| HB448 | |
| HB438 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 475 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 448 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 438 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 45 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 448-LICENSE PLATES FOR MASONS 9:02:18 AM CHAIR SEATON announced that the next order of business was HOUSE BILL NO. 448, "An Act relating to special license plates for the Free and Accepted Masons." 9:02:33 AM JAMES VAN HORN, Staff to Representative Jim Elkins, Alaska State Legislature, answered questions raised during the last committee hearing on HB 448, on behalf of Representative Elkins, sponsor. Regarding Representative Lynn's previous suggestion that the Knights of Columbus be included, he remarked that the title of the bill would have to be changed. He noted that the bill was originally called, "An act relating to special license plates for benevolent associations", but after talking to [Duane Bannock], the director of the [Division] of Motor Vehicles, the title was changed to its present form. Mr. Van Horn said the term "benevolent associations" is found only in the insurance section of Alaska Statutes, and says a new benevolent association may not be formed in Alaska after 1966. He indicated that he was informed by the Division of Motor Vehicles that the set-up cost of making a special license plate is about $300. 9:06:08 AM REPRESENTATIVE GARDNER asked for a description of "free and accepted Mason." MR. VAN HORN deferred to Representative Elkins, whom he said is a Mason. 9:06:33 AM REPRESENTATIVE ELKINS said he is not certain what the definition would be for "free and accepted." Notwithstanding that he noted that the organization is the oldest one of its kind in the world, and it does not discriminate by religion. He shared, "It's more of a way of life in what you practice when you're a Mason; it's a very ritualistic lodge within the lodge." 9:07:25 AM REPRESENTATIVE LYNN noted that George Washington was a Mason. He said the Masons and the Knights of Columbus do much the same things. He listed the principals of the Knights of Columbus as: charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. He stated his intention to eventually offer an amendment to add the Knights of Columbus to the bill. 9:08:46 AM REPRESENTATIVE ELKINS, in response to a question from Chair Seaton, said he would have no objection to such an amendment, but questioned if the committee would like to consider adding other fraternal organizations. 9:09:12 AM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG asked Mr. Van Horn to distribute a copy of the committee substitute he had mentioned previously. He said he understands why Representative Lynn would like to include the Knights of Columbus. He indicated concern that by using the term "benevolent organization," some organizations that are not so benevolent may try to be included, for example, the Ku Klux Klan. 9:10:21 AM REPRESENTATIVE LYNN recollected that Mr. Van Horn had told him that some states have watchdog agencies that have the power to decline applications. 9:10:53 AM MR. VAN HORN clarified that Representative Elkins' office had done some research regarding the Department of Licensing in the State of Washington, and found that that department has 41 special license plates and has a special license plate review board, broken up into categories. He deferred to Mr. Bannock for further response on the issue. He noted that Version F is actually the original form of the bill, and he reiterated that statute does not recognize any benevolent organizations formed after July 1, 1966. Mr. Van Horn stated, "So, hopefully the Knights of Columbus were recognized by the state prior to 1966, as, for example, the Elks, the Moose, and organizations such as that." In response to a question from Representative Gruenberg, he said he does not have a list of those organizations. 9:12:49 AM REPRESENTATIVE GATTO said he shares Representative Gruenberg's concern regarding the "benevolent organization" definition. He explained that there could be some organizations that formed before 1966, but changed their focus since then to something less good. He stated, "I really feel good about having each individual organization come before a body of legislators, and I'm not happy about opening it up to whatever the definition of benevolent association is." 9:14:19 AM CHAIR SEATON opened public testimony. 9:14:37 AM DUANE BANNOCK, Director, Division of Motor Vehicles, Department of Administration, in response to a question from Chair Seaton, stated that he has recommended creating a subsection in "this chapter" for each individual license plate. Regarding previous comment that other states have some sort of body that makes the determination regarding license plates, he suggested that the Alaska State Legislature is that body. A more "blanket" approach, he said, would arguably take that authority away from the legislature and return it to bureaucrats. Currently, the legislature has the authority to approve or disapprove all plates before the Division of Motor Vehicles produces and issues them, which Mr. Bannock opined is a good process. 9:15:46 AM CHAIR SEATON asked Mr. Bannock to clarify who pays the previously mentioned $300 set-up fee. 9:16:04 AM MR. BANNOCK explained that although he included that amount in the bill analysis for informational purposes, traditionally the DMV has paid that fee. He stated, "To be consistent, we have never charged the individual organization for them." 9:16:40 AM MR. BANNOCK, in response to a question from Representative Ramras, informed the committee that the Advanced Business Partners (ABPs) [who are qualified to do work related to licensing and registration] often stock some of the special license plates. 9:17:04 AM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG referred to the aforementioned statute regarding benevolent association, and he asked, "Does the Division of Motor Vehicles have any experience in determining what are the relevant benevolent associations, et cetera, for the issuance of license plates?" 9:18:28 AM MR. BANNOCK replied, "In the last three years I can say zero experience in that field." 9:18:37 AM CHAIR SEATON reminded the committee that it does not have before it a working draft addressing benevolent [associations], thus, he asked the committee to focus on [the original bill version]. 9:19:12 AM LOUIS S. BANDIROLA, State Deputy, Alaska Contingent, Knights of Columbus, asked the committee to consider including the Knights of Columbus in HB 448. He said the organization has existed for over 150 years, is spread throughout most of the Americas and currently moving into parts of Europe, and has over 1.75 million members worldwide. He spoke about the principals of the Knights of Columbus, previously listed by Representative Lynn, characterizing them as key goals. In Alaska, he noted, the Knights of Columbus have just over 1,600 members; its first council met in 1914 in Juneau. He noted that the Alaska contingent did not receive statewide status "as a unit of its own" until 1994. However, based on the work that the Knights of Columbus have done in the past and hope to continue to do in the future, Mr. Bandirola restated his hope that the organization will be offered similar recognition in HB 488. 9:21:17 AM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG asked Mr. Bannock to explain the significance of the last sentence in Version G, which read as follows: The department may disapprove the issuance of registration plates under this subsection when the requested plates are a duplication of an existing registration. 9:22:02 AM MR. BANNOCK said that is standard language, the purpose of which is to clear up any confusion "from a customer point of view." He offered an example. 9:23:10 AM CHAIR SEATON, after ascertaining that there was no one else to testify, closed public testimony. 9:23:20 AM REPRESENTATIVE LYNN moved to adopt [Conceptual] Amendment 1, to add the Knights of Columbus to HB 448, with an appropriate change of title. REPRESENTATIVE LYNN declared a conflict of interest; he revealed that he is a "fourth degree Knight of Columbus." CHAIR SEATON asked if there was any objection [to Conceptual Amendment 1]. 9:23:44 AM REPRESENTATIVE ELKINS said he would accept [Conceptual Amendment 1]. 9:23:55 AM CHAIR SEATON announced that there being no objection, Conceptual Amendment 1 was adopted. CHAIR SEATON asked Mr. Bannock if the addition of the Knights of Columbus should be made in a separate subsection (y). MR. BANNOCK answered yes. 9:25:26 AM CHAIR SEATON, in response to a question by Representative Gatto, explained that he had just clarified with Mr. Bannock that by putting the Knights of Columbus reference as a separate paragraph, the license plate itself would be separate from the design for the Free and Accepted Masons. MR. BANNOCK concurred with Chair Seaton's explanation. He stated, "What we would have is one bill that addresses two ... distinctly different license plates." 9:26:06 AM REPRESENTATIVE LYNN moved to report HB 448, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 448(STA) was reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.
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