Legislature(1993 - 1994)
04/20/1994 09:45 AM Senate FIN
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 407: An Act relating to issuance of commemorative gold rush motor vehicle license plates. Larry LaBolle, aide to Representative Richard Foster, sponsor of HB 407, testified in support of the bill. Juanita Hensley, Chief, Driver Services, Division of Motor Vehicles, Department of Public Safety, answered questions and addressed the fiscal note. Terry Brenner, private citizen, spoke in support of new plates and suggested changes to the small plates on motorcycles and trailers. A letter of intent was drafted to address those concerns. SCSHB 407(FIN) was REPORTED out of committee with a "do pass," a letter of intent, and zero fiscal note for the Department of Public Safety. CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 407(STA): An Act relating to issuance of commemorative gold rush motor vehicle license plates; and providing for an effective date. Co-chair Frank announced that HB 407 was before the committee. He invited Larry LaBolle to join the members at the table. LARRY LABOLLE, aide to Representative Foster, sponsor of HB 407, said the bill established a commemorative plate for the Gold Rush Centennial. In answer to Senator Kelly, Mr. LaBolle asked Juanita Hensley to speak to the cost of the plate. JUANITA HENSLEY, Chief, Driver Services, Division of Motor Vehicles, Department of Public Safety, said the $30 fee would be the same as most vanity plates. She said the Department did not have any objection to $30 or $50. She cited the hot rod plate fee in last year's legislation by Senator Kelly was $50. Senator Sharp MOVED amendment 1 which would insert the words "in consultation with the Alaska Gold Rush Centennial Task Force" on page 1, line 8, giving some oversight to the Task Force. No objection being heard, it was ADOPTED. In answer to Senator Kelly, Ms. Hensley said that the plates would cost approximately $15,400 and revenue would be $30,000. Senator Rieger asked if this bill could be used to make a new design for regular Alaskan license plates. Senator Kelly said that would be a floor amendment. Ms. Hensley said the State Affairs version in the House would have allowed the state to design a new license plate. The House Finance Committee later went back to the original bill. In answer to Senator Kelly, Ms. Hensley said that Alaska required two plates per car. Senator Rieger agreed that might be a floor amendment but felt the Commemorative Gold Rush license plate would make a good standard plate for the next couple of years and would relieve boredom. Mr. LaBolle said Representative Foster had not been opposed to the State Affairs version which did accomplish that. Discussion followed regarding CSHB 407(STA). Senator Rieger MOVED for adoption of CSHB 407(STA) "K" version. No objection being heard, it was ADOPTED. Co-chair Frank MOVED for adoption of amendment 2 which would leave the words "The Last Frontier" on the plates. No objection being heard, it was ADOPTED. Ms. Hensley pointed out that the Department had already ordered the plates for 1995 so the effective date of the bill would be September 1, 1996. She offered a new fiscal note for this version of the bill. She said the first half- year would generate revenue of $66.5 and operating costs of $45.0. FY97 showed $135 revenue and operating costs of $90.1 for the full year. She said operating costs were based on the department's estimate that 25 percent of registered owners would want the new design. Senator Sharp MOVED amendment 1 that had been ADOPTED earlier in the meeting. Senator Rieger questioned giving the Task Force much say considering this new version of the bill. Senator Sharp confirmed that the Task Force would only provide suggested designs and the Commissioner would make a final decision. Senator Rieger REMOVED his objection. No further objection being heard, it was ADOPTED. Senator Sharp MOVED for passage of CCSHB 407(FIN) as amended out of committee with individual recommendations. No objection being heard, it was REPORTED OUT of committee with a "do pass" and a zero fiscal note for the Department of Public Safety. Co-chairs Frank and Pearce, Senators Kelly, Rieger, and Sharp signed "do pass." A letter of intent was ADOPTED after the following testimony and included with the bill. Co-chair Frank apologized to Terry Brenner, private citizen, who had wanted to testify on HB 407 and now invited him to join the members at the table. TERRY BRENNER spoke in support of HB 407. He pointed out that the colors blue and gold of the Alaska flag had been used since 1948. There had been two exceptions, the totem and the bear, which were both excellent plates. He felt the license plate was an important symbol of the state as a person travels. It was widely read and should reflect the taste of the state in general. He wanted to encourage any commemorative plate be expanded to include light trucks and motorcycles. He toured extensively on motorcycles around the country and had been mistaken for an Oregon resident several times. He reiterated his support of HB 407 and the commemorative plate becoming the standard one. Ms. Hensley returned to the table and explained that HB 407 would not include the small license plates used on motorcycles, or trailers. They were so small, it was hard to include any additional information. In answer to Co- chair Frank, Ms. Hensley said that the colors could be reversed so not to be confused with Oregon. After consideration, she suggested the department might just use a different color because the plate numbers needed to reflect easily. Mr. Brenner suggested the possibility of a change in lettering like the 1966 plate. He agreed that the design could not be included on the smaller plates. Co-chair Frank asked if a letter of intent could be included in the bill asking the Department of Public Safety to consider changing the colors of the smaller plates to distinguish them from other states. Ms. Hensley said she saw no problem with that. She also stated that more designs were being considered to be offered as vanity plates. Co-chair Frank MOVED for adoption of a letter of intent to be included with SCSHB 407(FIN). No objection being heard, it was ADOPTED. (Earlier in the meeting the bill had been REPORTED OUT of committee.) SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD:
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