04/11/2012 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

             HB 3-REQUIREMENTS FOR DRIVER'S LICENSE                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:58:03 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  WIELECHOWSKI  announced  that  the next  bill  before  the                                                               
committee  would be  HB  3,  which would  allow  DMV  to issue  a                                                               
driver's license that  expires in less than five  years. It would                                                               
require  anyone staying  in the  country "indefinitely"  to renew                                                               
their  driver's license  annually. The  committee heard  the bill                                                               
last  year   and  received   considerable  public   testimony  in                                                               
opposition to the  bill, but wanted to give the  sponsor a second                                                               
opportunity to make his case for the bill.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BOB LYNN,  sponsor of HB 3,  thanked the committee                                                               
for hearing the  bill for the second time. It  would allow DMV to                                                               
issue a  driver's license that  expires in less than  five years,                                                               
so that  a visitor's  driver's license would  expire at  the same                                                               
time their  visa expires. He related  that HB 3 reflects  what is                                                               
considered to  be best  practice by  the American  Association of                                                               
Motor Vehicles  Administrators. It  puts Alaska  in line  with 30                                                               
other  states,  plus  the  District  of  Columbia.  Alaska's  DMV                                                               
already requires a new applicant  for a driver's license to prove                                                               
their legal presence.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
10:00:17 AM                                                                                                                   
JEFFERY  MITTMAN,  American  Civil  Liberties  Union  of  Alaska,                                                               
testified  in opposition  to  HB  3. He  noted  he has  submitted                                                               
written testimony. He voiced  concern about non-citizen residents                                                               
who may  have an indefinite  stay in  the U.S. not  being treated                                                               
the  same   as  those  who   live  here.  The  DMV   has  certain                                                               
responsibilities such  as making sure  drivers know the  rules of                                                               
the  road and  can  drive  safely. The  driver's  license is  not                                                               
intended to  be an immigration  document. He spoke of  the rights                                                               
of  the  federal  government to  regulate  immigration,  not  the                                                               
states. He  also spoke of  potential racial profiling  during the                                                               
process of  determining who may be  asked for proof of  the right                                                               
to be present in the state.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
10:03:10 AM                                                                                                                   
DEAN  WAUSON,  Supervisory  Special  Agent,  Office  of  Homeland                                                               
Security,  testified in  favor of  HB 3.  He maintained  that the                                                               
driver's  license  as proposed  in  the  bill does  not  abrogate                                                               
federal  requirements.   Current  licensing  requires   proof  of                                                               
citizenship and  immigration documents.  The most  pressing issue                                                               
is the  last part  of the  bill that  indicates that  the license                                                               
should be authorized for the length of stay of the individual.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
He voiced concern  about the use of a  license for identification                                                               
purposes. He gave  an example of an individual  from Pakistan who                                                               
held  an Alaskan  driver's license  for  five years,  yet he  was                                                               
illegally present in the U.S. for seven years.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
He shared information  about increased calls in  September and in                                                               
October when  J-1 visas expire  and non-immigrants try  to obtain                                                               
an Alaska driver's license. He  agreed with the sponsor and noted                                                               
that 30 other states have this type of legislation.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
10:07:42 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI closed public testimony.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  LYNN shared  his  experience  when traveling  and                                                               
using a visa.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MICHAEL SICA, staff to Representative  Bob Lynn, commented on Mr.                                                               
Mittman's  contribution to  the discussion.  He pointed  out that                                                               
all the players had been contacted regarding the bill.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI stated his intent to hold HB 3 in committee.