Legislature(2005 - 2006)BUTROVICH 205
03/21/2006 08:30 AM Senate JUDICIARY
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB189 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 318 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 189 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 189-REQUIREMENTS FOR DRIVER'S LICENSE/I.D.
8:34:14 AM
CHAIR RALPH SEEKINS announced SB 189 to be up for consideration.
He recognized the sponsor, Senator Charlie Huggins.
8:35:00 AM
SENATOR CHARLIE HUGGINS introduced Deborah Grundmann to speak
for the bill.
DEBORAH GRUNDMANN, Staff to Senator Huggins, explained to the
committee that the bill is designed to bring Alaska into
compliance with the federal Real ID Act, signed into law by
President George W. Bush on May 11, 2005. The provisions of the
Act call for improved security for driver's licenses and
personal identification cards and set uniform standards for
state driver's licenses. SB 189 is necessary to enhance security
due to increasing problems of identity theft and fraud.
8:37:04 AM
SENATOR GRETCHEN GUESS asked Ms. Grundmann to explain the
process for obtaining a new license.
MS. GRUNDMAN deferred the question to Duane Bannock.
Senator Gene Therriault joined the meeting.
DUANE BANNOCK, Director, Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV),
Department of Administration, reported the majority of people
getting their license for the first time are young people who
come in with their parents. The DMV verifies that the applicant
has two pieces of identification and after the test is passed
they are issued a license. To renew a license, the person fills
out a form and submits to a vision check before being issued a
renewal. For a new resident to obtain an Alaska license they
must surrender their out-of-state driver's license, take a
written test and pay a fee.
MR. BANNOCK said under SB 189 the DMV would have to change their
process slightly. The DMV would be required to verify that the
applicant is a citizen of the United States or is a person who
presents valid documentary evidence of legal status. To renew a
license that has not expired, the DMV would presume that the
person has not been disqualified from obtaining a license and it
would be renewed. To exchange an out-of-state license the DMV
would treat the person the same as if they were licensing for
the first time and the person would have to have their
identification validated.
SENATOR GUESS asked Mr. Bannock whether a birth certificate and
social security card would remain the preferable items of
identification.
MR. BANNOCK said the DMV accepts two documents from the
regulated list of twenty-two acceptable documents.
8:42:19 AM
CHAIR SEEKINS asked whether the DMV records documented
verification of a person's citizenship.
MR. BANNOCK said yes. The computer stores the place and date of
birth of every applicant.
CHAIR SEEKINS asked for clarification if there was a notation in
the computer of whether valid documentation was previously
presented to the DMV.
MR. BANNOCK indicated that there was not.
CHAIR SEEKINS said he is on a border-crossing committee that is
looking at requiring people to have a passport when crossing the
border between Canada and the United States. They are looking at
using driver's licenses that are citizenship-validated.
MR. BANNOCK said it is notated on the application whether or not
the person is a US citizen.
CHAIR SEEKINS asked whether there was a notation of a
presentation of valid documentation of citizenship.
MR. BANNOCK said he felt confident that the DMV issues licenses
only to those persons of United States citizenship or those who
are in the US legally.
CHAIR SEEKINS said he would like the federal requirements of the
Real ID Act to dovetail with the border-crossing committee's
pursuit of a solution to proper identification at border
crossings between the US and Canada.
MR. BANNOCK said that it would comply at some point.
SENATOR HUGGINS asked whether the Real ID Act changes the
relationship between other states.
MR. BANNOCK said yes in that the DMV can no longer exchange out-
of-state-licenses without additional scrutiny and proof of
identification.
SENATOR HUGGINS asked whether other states were having trouble
coming into compliance with the Real ID Act.
MR. BANNOCK commented that it is much easier for Alaska to come
into federal compliance because of prior regulations and digital
licensing.
SENATOR HUGGINS asked Mr. Bannock to advise the committee on the
procedure to obtain an identification card.
MR. BANNOCK said the rules for establishing identity for an ID
card is the same as for a driver's license. The only difference
is the driving test associated with the latter.
8:49:02 AM
SENATOR HOLLIS FRENCH asked how much of SB 189 was written by
the United States Congress.
MR. BANNOCK said Section 1 takes existing regulation and puts it
into statute. Subsection (i) changes the expiration date of the
license of ID card for a person who has a limited stay in
America.
SENATOR FRENCH asked him to speak about Section 2.
MR. BANNOCK responded paragraph 8(a) and (b) are new and they
deal with the presumption that anyone walking into a DMV with a
license that is not expired already meets the requirements.
SENATOR FRENCH asked Mr. Bannock whether Congress mandated the
language in the bill.
MR. BANNOCK said no. The DMV worked closely with Senator
Huggins' office to developed the language.
8:52:58 AM
SENATOR FRENCH referenced page 3, lines 16 and 31 and asked for
an explanation of the matricula consular card.
MR. BANNOCK replied that it is a widely accepted identification
card, particularly in the Southwestern United States. It is
issued by the Mexican government and is an unsecured piece of
identification.
CHAIR SEEKINS recognized there were no further questions or
amendments and asked for the will of the committee.
8:54:45 AM
SENATOR GENE THERRIAULT moved to report CSSB 189(STA) from
committee with attached fiscal notes and individual
recommendations. Hearing no objection, the motion carried.
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