03/16/1994 09:10 AM Senate STA

 CHAIRMAN LEMAN brings up SB 352 (CONFIDENTIALITY OF MOTOR VEHICLE             
 RECORDS) as the next order of business before the committee and               
 calls Mr. Quinn to testify.                                                   
                                                                               
 Number 467                                                                    
                                                                               
 BILL QUINN, Alaska Investigators Association, testifying from                 
 Anchorage states the association represents 80 or so investigators            
 statewide.  Many of the members are small business persons who                
 regularly utilize public records.  He says the association opposes            
 SB 352 as it is currently written.  He says the associations                  
 members have not misused or abused information procured from the              
 State of Alaska public records.  There is no reason to prohibit or            
 restrict the access of that information by the associations                   
 members.                                                                      
                                                                               
                                                                               
 Number 442                                                                    
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN LEMAN asks Mr. Quinn if he has had a chance to look at the           
 draft committee substitute, which may address some of his concerns.           
                                                                               
 MR. QUINN replies he has not seen the draft cs.                               
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN LEMAN says the committee will send him a copy.                       
                                                                               
 Number 435                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR TAYLOR makes a motion to adopt the committee substitute for           
 SB 352.                                                                       
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN LEMAN, hearing no objection, states CSSB 352(STA) has been           
 adopted in lieu of the original bill.  The chairman calls the next            
 witness.                                                                      
                                                                               
 Number 428                                                                    
                                                                               
 TRES LEWIS, Private Investigator recognizes the impetus behind the            
 bill, but says if it isn't broken, don't fix it.  The impetus to              
 restrict that information was that some crimes were committed using           
 information from DMV.  Mr. Lewis says the telephone book, the Polk            
 Directory, the Hill-Donley, voter registration, documents from the            
 assesor's office, city documents, and public utility records are              
 all public records.  However, we live in a very mobile society, and           
 one of the best source for locating someone is DMV's records.  He             
 suggests not having access to those records will cause delays                 
 within the court system, for example, the process of service for              
 summons and complaints.  He cannot imagine a process server in                
 Alaska not having access to DMV records.  Anything that delays                
 getting information from DMV, say if he has to write a letter,                
 slows down the process.  He requests information from DMV                     
 approximately 2,000 times per year.  Multiply that by about 100               
 private investigators and process servers in the state, DMV is                
 looking at several hundred thousand inquiries a year.  How many               
 people will have to be employed to process those inquiries at DMV?            
                                                                               
 The information service Mr. Lewis uses keeps track of every inquiry           
 he makes by license plate number.  Every time one makes information           
 requests directly from DMV, that person has to stand in line, sign            
 a form, they take your driver's license number down, and pay a two            
 dollar fee.  Mr. Lewis estimates every tow truck company, bank, and           
 title company uses these services.                                            
                                                                               
 Number 385                                                                    
                                                                               
 CHAIRMAN LEMAN asks Mr. Lewis if he would look at the committee               
 substitute to see if his concerns have been addressed.  If not, he            
 can work with the committee to address those concerns.  SB 352 will           
 be held over in committee to continue work.