Legislature(1995 - 1996)
01/24/1996 01:07 PM House TRA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 63 - DOG MUSHING VANITY PLATES Number 606 REPRESENTATIVE JOHN DAVIES, Sponsor of HB 63 read his statement into the record. "With recent attacks on our state sport, it is more important than ever for Alaskans to show their enthusiastic support for dog mushing. While not a musher myself, dog mushing is a sport I enjoy following very much. There is nothing quite like watching a good team moving quietly along the trails in Goldstream Valley and I'm sure in other parts of the state. I am worried that the loss of financial backing for the long distance races specifically the Quest and the Iditarod might have the effect of eroding the support for the whole sport. "For that reason, I introduced HB 63 which would allow the Department of Public Safety to issue dog mushing license plates. Clearly HB 63 is not going to solve all of the problems of the long-distance races, nor is it the most important issue facing the state. But it will encourage and allow Alaskans to show their zest for mushing again which is our state sport. HB 63 would allow automobile owners to purchase specially designed license plates depicting some aspect of mushing. The extra $50 fee will more than pay for the plates and any excess revenue could be appropriated by the legislature to support dog mushing programs statewide. Admittedly, the pool of money would be generated in this way would be modest, but the real objective would be met by making dog mushing more visible on every street and parking lot in Alaska. Moreover, is it gives nonmushers an opportunity to bolster the mushing community with a proud symbol of their support." Number 724 REPRESENTATIVE JEANETTE JAMES requested information on special request university license plates and whether that ever generated money. Number 740 REPRESENTATIVE DAVIES said the dog mushing community would get the money set aside from proceeds from the license plates. He said the problem with the university plates in the setting up a fund which was delayed because it was for such a small amount of money. Number 776 REPRESENTATIVE BEVERLY MASEK clarified for the record that money raised cannot be dedicated legally to any particular issue. Number 800 REPRESENTATIVE DAVIES repeated his spoken statement that the legislature may appropriate money into an account for dog mushing. He said this language merely shows the intent that if this license plate generates money, the legislature can pass legislation to appropriate that money. Number 869 REPRESENTATIVE MASEK asked for an explanation of the fiscal note. Number 885 CHAIRMAN GARY DAVIS said that at the bottom of the fiscal note it reads, "Contractual costs are associated with the design, ordering and purchase of 900 special request license plates." DMV will have a contest or some type of arrangement to determine the design of the license plate. REPRESENTATIVE MASEK received confirmation that it broke down into a $7,700 fiscal note. Number 940 REPRESENTATIVE JAMES said she would like to address the dedicated fund issue as it seems evident from the fiscal note that the license plate would be profitable. Number 965 REPRESENTATIVE DON LONG expressed concern over the method of appropriating funds. Number 987 CHAIRMAN GARY DAVIS agreed with Representative Long, but added that this is the mechanism for getting around the issue of dedicated funds and, until the method is revised, it will need to be used. REPRESENTATIVE JAMES said the interested parties need to follow through and make sure the money in this fund gets appropriated to them. Number 1056 CHAIRMAN GARY DAVIS said he had a personal objection to the variety and number of vanity license plates which makes it difficult to identify the plates as being from the state of Alaska. He proposed an amendment which would require the use of the colors blue and yellowish gold in license plates. Number 1154 REPRESENTATIVE DAVIES supported the proposed amendment to HB 63. Number 1160 REPRESENTATIVE WILLIAMS made a motion to adopt the proposed amendment to HB 63. Number 1170 REPRESENTATIVE BRICE objected to the motion for the purposes of discussion. CHAIRMAN GARY DAVIS read the proposed amendment, "the department shall use the colors blue and gold in designing the registration plates under this subsection." Number 1185 REPRESENTATIVE BRICE asked if there was a need to specify "yellow gold" in the amendment. CHAIRMAN GARY DAVIS said he would pursue this wording with legislative legal services and with the drafter of this proposed amendment. Number 1240 REPRESENTATIVE JAMES questioned the elimination all other colors besides blue and gold. Number 1284 CHAIRMAN GARY DAVIS said it was not the intent of the proposed amendment to strictly limit the colors, but rather have the basic colors gold and blue. REPRESENTATIVE DAVIES commented that he had understood that to be the case as well. REPRESENTATIVE BRICE removed his objection. Hearing no objection the adoption of the amendment to HB 63 passed. Number 1368 REPRESENTATIVE BRICE made a motion to move HB 63 with the fiscal note and individual recommendations. Hearing no objections HB 63 was moved from the House Standing Committee on Transportation.
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