03/10/2009 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 50                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act  relating to  Iditarod finisher special  request                                                                   
     license plates."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:10:17 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SHARON LONG,  STAFF, SENATOR  CHARLIE HUGGINS, SPONSOR,  read                                                                   
from the Sponsor Statement (Copy on File):                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     By  passage  of this  legislation,  a new  provision  is                                                                   
     added for  special issue  license plates to  honor those                                                                   
     who   have  shown  the   dedication,  perseverance   and                                                                   
     exemplary athletic  ability that finishing  the Iditarod                                                                   
     Trail Sled Dog Race requires.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Design work for  the new plates must be  approved by the                                                                   
     Department  of  Administration.  The finishers  will  be                                                                   
     able  to  purchase  the exclusive  specialty  plates  by                                                                   
     providing   specific   proof    of   participation   and                                                                   
     completion of  the race. The race finisher  must have an                                                                   
     automobile  registered in the  state of Alaska  on which                                                                   
     the plates would be displayed.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Senator Huggins  requests support for this  new category                                                                   
     of  specialty license  plates honoring  the mushers  who                                                                   
     have endured  the challenges  and shown the  courage and                                                                   
     ability  to complete  what  is affectionately  known  as                                                                   
     "the  last  great race,"  the  Iditarod  Trail Sled  Dog                                                                   
     Race.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Long reminded  the committee that the 2009  Iditarod race                                                                   
had just begun and there were  over 60 potential finishers on                                                                   
the  trail. She  thought  it fitting  that  Alaska honor  the                                                                   
finishers  because  of the  importance  of  the race  to  the                                                                   
state.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson  asked if  the Iditarod  Trail Committee  had a                                                                   
position on the  legislation. Ms. Long replied  that Mr. Stan                                                                   
Hooley, executive  director of  the committee, had  testified                                                                   
in support of the bill in another committee.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson asked  why the  race finisher  had to have  an                                                                   
automobile registered  in Alaska. Ms. Long answered  that the                                                                   
idea was  to keep  the license plates  on automobiles  and in                                                                   
the state to demonstrate pride in Alaska and in the race.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:13:34 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson  asked if a person  would be allowed to  sell a                                                                   
plate to another party. Ms. Long did not know.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman  referred  to  the  zero  fiscal  note  and                                                                   
queried revenue expected. Ms.  Long answered that the measure                                                                   
was expected to generate positive  cash flow. The fiscal note                                                                   
is a zero note because the revenue expected is minimal.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman  asked if it  were true that the  view never                                                                   
changes for the  dogs behind the lead dog.  Ms. Long answered                                                                   
that a finisher could speak to the issue.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
ANDY MODEROW, DOG MUSHER/IDITAROD  FINISHER, spoke in support                                                                   
of the legislation. He reported  his experience as a racer in                                                                   
the Iditarod. His mother and father  had finished the race as                                                                   
well;  all three of  them would  get the  license plates.  He                                                                   
informed the  committee that from  the sled, the  view rarely                                                                   
changes.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:16:18 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman closed public testimony.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman MOVED to REPORT  SB 50 out of committee with                                                                   
individual recommendations and  the accompanying fiscal note.                                                                   
There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SB 50  was REPORTED out  of committee with no  recommendation                                                                   
and zero fiscal note 1 by the Department of Administration.