Legislature(2005 - 2006)BELTZ 211
04/21/2005 03:30 PM Senate STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB214 | |
| HB127 | |
| HB178 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 127 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 214 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 178 | TELECONFERENCED | |
CSHB 178(STA) am -SPECIAL REQUEST LICENSE PLATES
5:00:20 PM
CHAIR GENE THERRIAULT announced HB 178 to be up for
consideration.
KONRAD JACKSON, Staff to Representative Kurt Olson, explained
that HB 178 deals with special request license plates. With few
exceptions, all non-commercial vehicles can display non-standard
license plates and under HB 178 all license plates would be made
available for use on all motor vehicles.
Certain plates would continue to carry eligibility requirements.
Those include plates for: Alaska Army National Guard members,
Purple Heart recipients, and Veterans. Fees for specialty plates
would be collected in addition to the current registration fees.
CHAIR THERRIAULT noted the bill was amended to allow elected
state officials to retain their registration plates after
expiration.
MR. JACKSON explained that the concern is that the statutes
don't allow elected state officials to retain legislative
license plates that are expired. After speaking with Mr. Bannock
and Ms. Varni, he learned that there had never been a problem
and neither expressed an interest in getting the expired plates
back. Nonetheless the bill was amended in the House State
Affairs Committee as a point of clarification.
CHAIR THERRIAULT asked Mr. Bannock for the department's view on
the bill.
DUANNE BANNOCK, Director, Division of Motor Vehicles, Department
of Administration, announced the division cheerfully endorses HB
178. It would be easier to meet internal goals and objectives
while meeting the number one goal of being customer friendly.
CHAIR THERRIAULT questioned why just certain categories were
included for specialty plates.
MR. BANNOCK responded it's probably because the designations
were made at different times. Historically commercial vehicles
were identified as such by the final two letters of a seven-
digit license plate. Today the system only allows a six-digit
license plate and the numbers or letters are tied to the vehicle
registration regardless of the combination.
CHAIR THERRIAULT asked if he was also representing the
Department of Public Safety and whether the Troopers care one
way or another.
MR. BANNOCK responded he would never be so bold as to speak for
another department, but in ongoing discussions between
departments it's clear that the license plate letter and number
combination is used to identify the owner and the physical
description of the vehicle. The color and style of the plate
makes no difference.
SENATOR CHARLIE HUGGINS asked if the bill would make it possible
for legislative plates to be retained on the mantel or on the
vehicle.
MR. BANNOCK replied the bill would make it legal to retain the
expired legislative plate on the mantle. Clearly the expired
license plate could not be retained on the vehicle.
SENATOR HUGGINS asked: "Do we presently, in the State of Alaska,
have any sort of revenue from license plates kind of things
that's designated to any sort of fund source?"
MR. BANNOCK answered yes, but he wouldn't use the word
"designated." The revenue from the sale of several styles of
license plates is accounted for separately. He described the
programs for the veteran's commemorative plates, the University
of Alaska plates, and the Children's Trust (KID) plates all of
which have a one-time up-front fee followed by a special fee
when the vehicle is re-registered.
5:10:05 PM
SENATOR HUGGINS asked for an estimate of the annual revenue
collected on each those specialty plates.
MR. BANNOCK said the commemorative veteran plate is the most
recent and when he last checked eight plates had been sold for
$800. He estimated close to 600 KID plates had been sold. They
have a one-time fee of $50, which would amount to $3,000. He
didn't have information on the University of Alaska plates.
CHAIR THERRIAULT questioned whether the specialty plates are
standard in size.
MR. BANNOCK explained that license plate size is just one of a
number of nationwide standards.
CHAIR THERRIAULT asked if the word "Alaska" is the same size on
all plates.
MR. BANNOCK said he thought so.
CHAIR THERRIAULT noted the bill had one fiscal note and asked
for the will of the committee.
SENATOR WAGONER motioned to report CSHB 178(STA)am and attached
fiscal note from committee with individual recommendations.
There being no objection, it was so ordered.
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