Legislature(2007 - 2008)CAPITOL 17
02/15/2007 01:30 PM House TRANSPORTATION
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB102 | |
| HJR8 | |
| HB8 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 102 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 126 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HJR 8 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 8 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 102-PASSING STATIONARY VEHICLES 1:35:11 PM VICE CHAIR NEUMAN announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 102, "An Act relating to vacating lanes or slowing down for certain vehicles stopped along the side of a road." 1:36:03 PM REPRESENTATIVE JOHN COGHILL, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor, presented HB 102. He explained that under current law regarding highways with two or more lanes in the same direction, a driver approaching emergency vehicles performing official duties shall pull over or slow to a prudent speed. This language is creating enforcement problems. Also, the current law does not address single lane highways. He said HB 102 cleans up the current statute by describing a two-lane situation in which a driver must pull over if possible and a single-lane situation in which a driver must slow down. This provides a safety zone and a method for making violations of the safety zone punishable in court. 1:37:59 PM KAREN LIDSTER, Staff to Representative John Coghill, Alaska State Legislature, reiterated that the purpose of HB 102 is to clean up the current law's language and ensure the protection of law enforcement officials and emergency service providers. She directed attention to a written statement of support from the Public Safety Employees Association and a resolution from the Alaska Association of Chiefs of Police. She also noted the presence of Lauren Rice, Special Assistant with the Department of Public Safety. 1:39:27 PM VICE CHAIR NEUMAN asked who contacted Representative Coghill's office regarding this issue. MS. LIDSTER responded that Representative Coghill was contacted by an individual who was given a ticket between North Pole and Fairbanks. Her first contact, she said, was with the City of Fairbanks Chief of Police, Daniel Hoffman. She relayed that Chief Hoffman felt the intent of the law is to protect emergency providers and law enforcement personnel by requiring passing drivers to first choose moving into another lane if safe to do so "or" to slow down if changing lanes is not possible. Moving to the farthest lane if possible is the safest first choice for the emergency personnel on the highway. However, the word "or" makes the law unenforceable because it gives drivers no need to first choose the farthest lane when it is safe to do so on a highway with two lanes going in the same direction. 1:41:53 PM RODNEY DIAL, Lieutenant, Deputy Commander, A Attachment, Division of Alaska State Troopers, Department of Public Safety, stated that the department fully supports HB 102. He pointed out that 30 states have similar laws, referred to as "move over laws", which are intended to protect police, fire, and emergency service personnel. He cited national statistics that show 30 percent of all crashes occur as the result of another crash. Giving emergency responders plenty of room reduces the chance that another collision will occur. This issue, he emphasized, is important for the public, too, because for every minute that a freeway lane is closed or a two lane road is closed, it takes an average of four additional minutes for traffic to recover and this accounts for about 60 percent of urban congestion. Over the past 10 years, he reported, approximately 471 police officers nationwide have died in traffic-related accidents, including about 146 who were struck by vehicles. He further noted that FBI statistics show traffic crashes now claim the lives of more police personnel than any other cause of death in the line of duty, including shootings, with 13 officers being struck and killed last year while they worked outside of their vehicles. 1:44:10 PM VICE CHAIR NEUMAN asked what procedures are employed by the department to ensure trooper safety when they pull over a vehicle. LIEUTENANT DIAL explained that officers are trained at the Department of Public Safety Academy to park vehicles in a manner that offsets the vehicle just slightly into the traffic lane. This provides a little bit of a barrier for oncoming cars so that they have to move slightly over to the left with the idea that either the police vehicle or the vehicle in front of it would be hit before the officer. Also, he said, officers are equipped with various warning devices such as lights, flares, and reflective equipment. 1:45:29 PM VERNON MARSHALL, Lobbyist for the Public Safety Employees Association (PSEA), Juneau, stated that the PSEA supports the bill and has provided a position paper to the committee. He said the bill corrects a technical error and will promote the protection of public safety officers, as well as the public, when dealing with an accident or conducting an enforcement action. 1:47:02 PM VICE CHAIR NEUMAN, after ascertaining that no one else wished to testify, closed public testimony. He then took the opportunity to note that Representative Ramras's amendment last year to [AS 28.35.185(a)] added "tow trucks" to the list of emergency, fire, and law enforcement vehicles for which this law applies. He pointed out that tow truck drivers brought this issue forward, and allowing the public to come to legislators with recommendations is an important part of what the legislature does. 1:47:58 PM REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON moved to report HB 102 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HB 102 was reported from the House Transportation Standing Committee.
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