04/24/2003 02:05 PM House TRA

HB 40 - REQUIREMENTS FOR DRIVER'S LICENSE                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MASEK announced  that the first order  of business would                                                               
be HOUSE BILL NO. 40, "An  Act relating to issuance of a driver's                                                               
license."  She reminded the  members that the committee has heard                                                               
this bill  before and that  a proposed committee  substitute (CS)                                                               
has been prepared.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Number 0089                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FATE moved  to adopt the proposed  CS, Version 23-                                                               
LS0262\H,  Ford,  4/16/03, as  a  work  draft.   There  being  no                                                               
objection, Version H was before the committee.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 0135                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BOB LYNN, Alaska  State Legislature, as sponsor of                                                               
HB  40,  highlighted the  merits  of  the  bill.   He  reiterated                                                               
comments made  at an earlier hearing  by saying that HB  40 is an                                                               
important  piece of  legislation  to  protect homeland  security,                                                               
guard against  identity theft and  voter fraud, and  ensure legal                                                               
accountability.  Representative  Lynn said he believes  this is a                                                               
good bill  and asked the  members for favorable  consideration to                                                               
pass the bill out of committee.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MASEK  asked if members  have questions with  respect to                                                               
the new  proposed CS  the committee  has before  them.   She also                                                               
noted  for the  record  that Representative  Ogg  has joined  the                                                               
meeting.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Number 0212                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
KERRY  HENNINGS,  Driver  License   Manager,  Division  of  Motor                                                               
Vehicles, Department  of Administration, testified in  support of                                                               
HB 40 and offered to answer questions from the members.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FATE asked  Ms. Hennings if the  Division of Motor                                                               
Vehicles has any problem with the bill.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS.  HENNINGS  told the  committee  that  the Division  of  Motor                                                               
Vehicles  supports  this  bill  and  as  a  policy  is  currently                                                               
administering the  driver's licenses program in  keeping with the                                                               
legislation.  She  explained that about 30  states currently have                                                               
this kind  of legislation in  place, and  there is the  hope that                                                               
more states  will adopt this  policy as a security  measure prior                                                               
to the policy's being mandated by the federal government.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE OGG  asked if an  individual in the  United States                                                               
and who  is seeking political  asylum would  be allowed to  get a                                                               
driver's license.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MS. HENNINGS  replied that  while she  is not  an expert  in that                                                               
area, her experience working with  ICE [Bureau of Immigration and                                                               
Customs   Enforcement],  formerly   the   INS  [Immigration   and                                                               
Naturalization  Service],  has  shown  that  a  person  in  these                                                               
circumstances  would  be  able obtain  the  proper  documentation                                                               
necessary to get a driver's license in Alaska.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MASEK  commented that  Representative Ogg's  question is                                                               
addressed in the  proposed committee substitute on  page 2, lines                                                               
17-19.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Number 0398                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  FATE  moved  to   report  CSHB  40,  Version  23-                                                               
LS0262\H,  Ford,  4/16/03,  out   of  committee  with  individual                                                               
recommendations and  the accompanying  zero fiscal notes.   There                                                               
being no  objection, CSHB 40(TRA)  was reported out of  the House                                                               
Transportation Standing Committee.