04/10/2012 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

        HB 345-WAIVE CDL SKILL TEST FOR CERTAIN VETERANS                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:25:29 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  WIELECHOWSKI  announced  that  the next  bill  before  the                                                               
committee would  be HB 345,  which proposes to  adopt regulations                                                               
by  the  Department  of  Administration  waiving  the  Commercial                                                               
Driver's  License (CDL)  test for  certain drivers  with military                                                               
commercial motor vehicle experience.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DAN SADDLER,  sponsor of  HB 345,  introduced the                                                               
bill.  He stated  that  this bill  recognizes  Alaskans who  hone                                                               
their driving skills during military  service. The bill will help                                                               
military  personnel  get jobs  and  help  Alaskan businesses  get                                                               
qualified drivers by acknowledging  that military drivers already                                                               
have safe driving skills.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
He pointed  out that federal law  does allow states to  waive the                                                               
road test  for the  CDL if military  drivers have  recent driving                                                               
experience and a  clean record. They must still  pass the regular                                                               
knowledge  test,  vision test,  and  physical  exam. The  Federal                                                               
Motor  Carriers Safety  Administration is  encouraging states  to                                                               
grant such waivers  and many states are already doing  so. HB 345                                                               
simple   authorizes   the   director   of   the   Department   of                                                               
Administration to  adopt regulations  in accordance  with federal                                                               
standards.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  WIELECHOWSKI noted  that HB  345 compliments  another bill                                                               
that also tries to help veterans get jobs.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
He asked if  there is a requirement that members  of the military                                                               
have a commercial driver's license.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER said no.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR   WIELECHOWSKI   concluded   that  military   drivers   are                                                               
essentially  doing the  work that  those with  CDL's can  do, but                                                               
they are not required to have a CDL.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER agreed.  He noted  that military  drivers                                                               
hold a military driver's license.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  WIELECHOWSKI summarized  that the  bill provides  that the                                                               
state  of  Alaska  can   recognize  military  commercial  driving                                                               
experience and waive the CDL road test requirement.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER agreed.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:28:13 AM                                                                                                                    
WHITENY   BREWSTER,  Director,   Division   of  Motor   Vehicles,                                                               
Department of  Administration, provided information  regarding HB
. She  explained about  a caveat  in federal  regulations that                                                               
allows states to adopt programs  that allow for a substitution of                                                               
the required  driving skills tests.  Military personnel  who have                                                               
had recent  commercial motor  vehicle driving  experience qualify                                                               
for  such a  program. The  regulations were  finalized in  May of                                                               
2011 and the  Federal Motor Carrier Safety  Administration is now                                                               
urging states to  move forward with waiver  programs for military                                                               
veterans.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
She reported  that the  regulations do  specify that  the program                                                               
must  have  two minimum  requirements,  that  the applicant  show                                                               
evidence  that he  or  she  has been  regularly  employed or  was                                                               
regularly  employed  within  the  last  90  days  in  a  military                                                               
position requiring  operation of a commercial  motor vehicle, and                                                               
with operating  a vehicle representative of  the commercial motor                                                               
vehicle the driver applicant expects  to operate for at least the                                                               
two years immediately preceding discharge from the military.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI  asked how  closely the  military requirements                                                               
compare the CDL requirements.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. BREWSTER responded  that she was not sure  about the military                                                               
requirements. She  stated that the  Federal Motor  Carrier Safety                                                               
Administration works  closely with  the Department of  Defense in                                                               
order to allow the waiver.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:30:53 AM                                                                                                                    
AVES  THOMPSON, Executive  Director, Alaska  Trucking Association                                                               
(ATA),  testified  in support  of  HB  345.  He stated  that  his                                                               
industry needs drivers and returning  veterans need jobs. The ATA                                                               
welcomes returning  veterans and  appreciates the  opportunity to                                                               
do something  to support them, as  well as to help  the industry.                                                               
He stated support for veterans and for HB 345.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  WIELECHOWSKI  closed  public  testimony.  He  inquired  if                                                               
Representative  Saddler knew  the  answer to  the question  about                                                               
military commercial driving requirements.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER   related  that  military   training  for                                                               
commercial driving  is "heavy on  systems and checklists  and the                                                               
pre-trip."                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI stated his intent to hold HB 345.