Legislature(2017 - 2018)SENATE FINANCE 532
03/27/2017 01:30 PM Senate FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmations: Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission | |
| SB34 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | SB 34 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 57 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE
March 27, 2017
1:32 p.m.
1:32:42 PM
CALL TO ORDER
Co-Chair MacKinnon called the Senate Finance Committee
meeting to order at 1:32 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Lyman Hoffman, Co-Chair
Senator Anna MacKinnon, Co-Chair
Senator Click Bishop, Vice-Chair
Senator Mike Dunleavy
Senator Peter Micciche
Senator Donny Olson
Senator Natasha von Imhof
MEMBERS ABSENT
None
ALSO PRESENT
Hollis French, Appointee, Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation
Commission; Leslie Ridle, Deputy Commissioner, Department
of Administration; Don Ethridge, AFL-CIO, Juneau; Barbara
Huff Tuckness, Director of Governmental and Legislative
Affairs, Teamsters Local 959; Cheri Lowenstein Director,
Administrative Services, Department of Administration.
PRESENT VIA TELECONFERENCE
Daniel T. Seamount, Jr., Appointee, Alaska Oil and Gas
Conservation Commission, Anchorage; Marla Thompson,
Director, Division of Motor Vehicles, Anchorage; Brian
Duffy, Administrative Services Director, Department of
Military and Veterans Affairs; Sharice Walker, Community
and Public Relations Director Fairbanks Northstar Borough
School District, Fairbanks; Thomas Roth, Chief Operating
Officer, Anchorage School District, Anchorage; Aves
Thompson, Executive Director, Alaska Trucking Association,
Anchorage; Kara Moriarty, President and CEO, Alaska Oil and
Gas Association, Anchorage; Dan Lowden, Captain, Alaska
State Troopers, Anchorage; Kevin Pomeroy, Laborers Local
942, Fairbanks; Eric Glatt, Staff Attorney, American Civil
Liberties Union, Anchorage; Tim Jones, Doyon Utilities,
Fairbanks; Pam Goode, Self, Rural Deltana; Edward
Hasbrouck, Identity Project, San Francisco.
SUMMARY
SB 34 DRIVER'S LICENSE & ID CARDS & REAL ID ACT
SB 34 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
CONFIRMATIONS: ALASKA OIL and GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION
^CONFIRMATIONS: ALASKA OIL and GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION
1:33:47 PM
DANIEL T. SEAMOUNT, JR., APPOINTEE, ALASKA OIL AND GAS
CONSERVATION COMMISSION, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference),
(AOGCC) introduced himself, and discussed his credentials.
He relayed his professional and personal history as it
related to AOGCC.
1:36:59 PM
Mr. Seamount concluded his introduction.
Co-Chair MacKinnon remarked that Mr. Seamount came before
the committee with a vast expansion of experience in the
field.
Mr. Seamount relayed his desire for the job and the
qualifications that prepared him to serve in the position.
He provided a brief personal history (copy on file). He
hoped to continue on as an AOGCC commissioner and discuss
new ideas pertaining to fracking, bond requirements, and
any additional challenges the industry presented.
1:41:07 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon probed the new fracking regulations and
how they differed from past regulations.
Mr. Seamount replied that the new regulations required
companies to perform a baseline geo-chemical survey of all
the water wells within a half of a mile of the area to be
fracked. Additionally, operators were required to submit
fracking information to a national database accessible by
the public. Thirdly, in an effort to make them easier to
locate, all regulations related to fracking had been
grouped together. He furthered that a hearing had been held
on a potential new regulation that would require a public
comment period before a fracking permit could be issued; a
decision on the regulation had not yet been made.
1:42:50 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked whether Mr. Seamount had received
any jurisdictional questions about damaged pipelines.
Mr. Seamount responded in the negative. He noted that the
recent pipeline leak in Cook Inlet was out of AOGCC
jurisdiction.
1:43:21 PM
Vice-Chair Bishop wondered whether Mr. Seamount had ever
participated in the prover ball calibration at Pump Station
One, and whether the calibration was an annual event for
AOGCC.
Mr. Seamount replied in the affirmative. He added that
there had been an issue with access for inspectors to Pump
Station One.
1:44:01 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon clarified that Mr. Seamount was
commissioner with expertise in geology.
Mr. Seamount replied in the affirmative. He noted that
there was also a public commissioner and a petroleum
engineering commissioner.
1:44:43 PM
HOLLIS FRENCH, APPOINTEE, ALASKA OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION
COMMISSION, discussed his qualifications. He offered a
brief history of his experience as it was relevant to the
position (copy on file).
1:48:05 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked Mr. French how heavily he relied
on the opinion of AOGCC staff when making decisions.
Mr. French replied that the commissioners relied enormously
on AOGCC staff. He explained that much of the work of the
commission was technically related. He said that permits
were crafted by engineers and geologists before he saw
them. He said that the staff was well qualified and that he
relied on them for their expertise.
1:49:09 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon queried the level of morale at AOGCC.
Mr. French felt that morale was high.
1:49:52 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon noted that AOGCC had been without a
commissioner for several years under the current
administration. She wondered whether any permits had been
denied since Mr. French had taken the commissioner
position.
Mr. French replied that he did not believe so, he furthered
that the approval process may have taken longer for some
applicants than others. He stressed that the mission of
AOGCC was to determine whether the permit complied with the
statutes and regulations.
1:50:48 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked what kind of instances could slow
the approval of an application.
Mr. French responded that the turnaround for permit
applications was approximately 10 days. He said that those
that took longer involved newer companies who were learning
to navigate the state's standards. He said that he could
not speak to any specific hang-ups. He thought that any
backlog involved adjudications and not permits and was not
substantial.
1:51:50 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon wondered whether any tension had arisen
from companies not understanding Alaska's standards and
regulations.
Mr. French stated that the only friction he had noticed was
with companies that needed more training in the Alaskan way
of doing business.
1:52:12 PM
Senator Micciche felt that the Mr. French had basic
industry knowledge and that his 10 years as a senator with
the legislature was valuable. He asked Mr. French to
convince him that politics would not be a part of the
decision making at AOGCC.
Mr. French replied that his discretion was limited by the
boundaries set out in Alaska State Statute.
1:55:05 PM
Senator Micciche believed that Mr. French was going to run
into political pressure from environmental groups,
particularly because of fracking. He wondered how the
environmental concerns would be balanced with industry
analysis when drafting regulations.
Mr. French thought that the agency's idea of putting out
the fracking permits for public notice over a ten day
period would be helpful in finding a balance. He believed
that the time would educate the environmental community to
that the permits were more solid and based on science than
they had initially considered.
1:58:10 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon referred to the 2015 Take-Off Ruling and
asked when the AOGCC expected to revisit the issue.
Mr. French had not be aware that the ruling was to be
revisited. He understood that the ruling would set a take-
off sufficient to build a large scale gas pipeline.
1:58:15 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked whether Mr. French had the
necessary tools to perform the job.
Mr. French replied in the affirmative.
1:59:41 PM
Vice-Chair Bishop FORWARDED the appointments of Daniel T.
Seamount, Jr. and Hollis French be to a Joint Session for
consideration in accordance with AS 39.05.080. This did not
reflect an intent by any member to vote for or against the
confirmation of the individuals during any further
sessions.
2:00:18 PM
AT EASE
2:02:44 PM
RECONVENED
SENATE BILL NO. 34
"An Act relating to the implementation of the federal
REAL ID Act of 2005; and relating to issuance of
identification cards and driver's licenses; and
providing for an effective date."
2:03:18 PM
LESLIE RIDLE, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF
ADMINISTRATION, introduced herself and her support staff.
2:03:48 PM
Ms. Ridle discussed the PowerPoint, "CSSB 34 (STA) Driver's
Licenses and ID Cards and REAL ID Act" (copy on file).
Ms. Ridle looked at Slide 2, "Federal REAL ID Act":
· REAL ID covers all 50 states, 5 territories and
Washington, D.C.
· Establishes minimum requirements for secure issuance
and production of state-issued driver licenses and
IDs:
o Requires states to verify a person's identity
and lawful status
o Requires special card design features like
digital photo, signature, unique card number
o Requires safeguards for issuance and production
of licenses; i.e. clearly marking temporary,
limited or otherwise non-compliant licenses as
"Not for Federal Identification"
· 26 states currently offer REAL ID compliant cards
· 19 states including Alaska have extensions allowing
continued issuance and production of non-compliant
cards
· States that are non-compliant - WA, Co-Chair Neuman,
MO, ME, MT
o Minnesota and Washington do have Enhanced IDs
(chip cards) which are approved for REAL ID
Compliant and TSA.
o Washington, Minnesota have current bills in
2017 for compliance
2:04:44 PM
Ms. Ridle addressed Slide 3, Federal REAL ID Act":
Why a Bill is Needed:
· AS 44.99.040 (a)(2) prohibits DMV from spending
state funds to comply with REAL ID Act
· Without compliant ID, Alaskans will need
another form of federal ID for TSA security
screenings or to gain access to military bases
and secure-entrance federal buildings
· REAL ID Act was designed to decrease fraud and
ensure that states are checking the validity of
documents presented with applications
2:06:00 PM
Ms. Ridle highlighted Slide 4, "CSSB 34 Driver's License,
State IDs, REAL ID Act":
What CSSB 34 Does:
· Allows DMV to offer Alaskans a choice between a REAL
ID compliant driver's license or ID, or a "standard"
noncompliant license or ID
· Gives DMV authority to upgrade systems, equipment
and processes for REAL/ID/DL card production
· Directs DMS to produce noncompliant licenses and IDs
in Alaska.
· Directs DMV to give customers information regarding
how data will be stored and how the licenses/IDs
will be printed
· Disallows DMV from keeping photos of applicants for
noncompliant licenses
· Disallows DMV from keeping copies of non-compliant
documents
· Allows DMV to charge additional $20 fee for REAL ID
compliant licenses and $15 for IDs to cover
increased cost of production.
2:07:29 PM
Ms. Ridle looked at Slide 5, "What will change for REAL IC
compliant cards":
· Alaska DMV will take a photo at time of application
and store that image in Alaska
· DMV will validate birth certificate, passport or
immigration information if provided by applicant
· REAL ID/DL cards will have unique design or color
indicator to clearly distinguish from noncompliant
cards
· Noncompliant cards will state "Not for Federal
Identification"
· DL and ID's will now be valid for 8 years instead of
5
2:08:34 PM
Ms. Ridle addressed at Slide 6, "What Won't Change":
· DMV will still require the primary document,
secondary document and proof of Alaska residency for
compliant and noncompliant cards
· DMV will continue to background check employees
· DMV will continue to use a secure facility to
produce compliant cards
2:08:51 PM
Ms. Ridle looked at Slide 7, "What Do People Need to Bring
to Get Alaska ID/DL." She stated that the slide outlined
the requirements to obtain and ID.
Primary Document
· An original or certified copy of a U.S. birth
certificate
· Passport or passport card issued by the United
States or US Territory.
· A foreign passport with appropriate immigration
status forms issued by the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Service.
· A resident alien, temporary resident alien, or
employment work authorization document issued by the
U.S. Department of Homeland
· Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.
· U.S. military identification for active duty,
retiree, or reservist.
· Certificate of Citizenship, Naturalization, or Birth
Abroad.
Secondary Document
· All Primary Documents
· License from another state or AK
· Bureau of Indian Affairs card permit
· Employee photo ID or School ID
· Health insurance card
· Medical records
· Military dependent identification
· Pilot's license
· Marriage License
· Voter Registration Card
· TWIC Card
Proof of principal residence
· Utility bill
· Alaska voter registration card
· Alaska title and/or registration (Issued at least 30
days prior to application)
· Paycheck Stub
· Medical Assistance card
· Public Assistance card
· Canceled check or bank statement
· Mortgage or rental documents
· Letter from employer on letterhead verifying
applicant's residence address
Proof of Social Security Number
· Social Security Number or letter from Social
Security Office stating that applicant is not
eligible for Social Security Number
· Commercial Drivers must holders must bring the
actual social security card
Note: these documents are only needed for the first
issuance of a license/ID
2:09:12 PM
Ms. Ridle highlighted Slide 8, "Real ID Process." The slide
contained a flow chart that detailed the Real ID process.
She pointed out that the yellow highlighted areas were the
changes that would be applied should the REAL ID process
move forward.
2:10:19 PM
Ms. Ridle turned to Slide 9, which detailed individual data
bases, their purpose, who they are run by, and how their
utilization would change under the Real ID Act.
2:10:36 PM
Ms. Ridle discussed Slide 10, "Timeline":
· January 2017 - Governor introduced bill to allow DMV
to produce both compliant and noncompliant REAL ID
ID/DLs
· June 6, 2017 - Alaska's waiver from Homeland
Security Agency (HAS) ends
· June 7, 1017 - Unless we are granted additional
waiver, approved federal ID will be required to
access military bases and federal facilities
· January 22, 2018 - REAL ID compliant ID/DLs or other
federal ID will be required at TSA security check
points, unless Alaska has passed legislation and is
working toward compliance
· October 1, 2020 - REAL ID compliant ID/DLs or other
federal ID will be required at TSA security check
points. No additional HAS waivers will be granted
· If REAL ID bill passes this session:
o December 2017 - DMV completes ALVIN upgrade and
begins REAL ID upgrades
o Mid-2018 - REAL ID cards available to Alaskans
2:11:58 PM
Ms. Ridle looked at Slide 11, "REAL ID - Accessing Military
Bases":
Who will be most impacted getting on military bases if
waiver expires?
· State employees
· DMVA
· DHSS
· State Troopers
· DOLWD - OSHA inspectors
· Civilians
· Moving companies
· Facility maintenance companies
· Retailers
· Constructions workers
· Visitors
· Anchorage School District
· 4 Schools
· Fairbanks North Star Borough School
Districts
· 4 Schools
2:13:19 PM
Ms. Ridle displayed Slide 12, "REAL ID - Possible
alternative documents":
Prior to the waiver granted in October 2016, Alaska
military installations were poised to require federal
ID to enter a military base:
Current list of IDs acceptable for access to JBER:
· United States passports/United States passport
cards
· Permanent Resident card/Alien Registration
Receipt Card (Form I-766)
· Foreign passports with a temporary (I551) stamp
· An employment authorization document that
contains a photograph (Form I-766)
· Current/valid driver's license or identification
card issued by a state or outlying possession of
the United States which is in compliance with the
REAL ID Act of 2005
· Identification card issued by federal, state, or
local government agencies that are REAL ID act
compliant. (Minnesota and Washington
identification card holders can have access to
federal installations if their driver licenses
bear a small red, white, and blue U.S. flag logo
on the front.)
· VA health identification card issued by the US
Department of Veterans Affairs
· Merchant Mariner card issued by DHS/U.S. Coast
Guard
TSA has not yet identified which forms of federal ID
they will accept in Alaska in lieu of REAL ID/DLs,
when enforcement commences in 2018
2:14:03 PM
Co-Chair Hoffman asked whether any states were exploring
electronic identification as a method of complying with the
Real ID Act.
Ms. Ridle said that she was unfamiliar with electronic
identification.
Co-Chair Hoffman said that it was identification that was
stored on an iPhone.
Ms. Ridle deferred the question to the Department of Motor
Vehicles (DMV).
2:14:48 PM
MARLA THOMPSON, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES,
ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), shared that there were test
currently being conducted involving different ideas about
how to create and ID that could be used on an iPhone. She
said that the idea was conceptual at this point in time.
2:15:26 PM
Co-Chair Hoffman asked whether the iPhone option was being
explored for use as a Real ID.
Ms. Thompson replied that she would look into the matter
and get back to the committee.
2:15:38 PM
Senator Micciche understood non-compliant and Real ID
licenses would be available at the DMV.
Ms. Ridle replied yes.
2:15:57 PM
Senator Micciche clarified that those worrying about
database issues with the Real ID could use a state driver's
license and the other listed documents in place of the Real
ID.
Ms. Ridle responded yes.
2:16:35 PM
Senator von Imhof noted the Identity Project document in
member's files (copy on file).
Ms. Ridle stated that she was not familiar with the
document.
2:16:48 PM
AT EASE
2:17:49 PM
RECONVENED
2:17:52 PM
Senator von Imhof read on of the bullet points on the
Identity Project document:
A national database, the "State Pointer Exchange
System" (SPEXS), has been created to implement the
REAL-ID Act. The Alaska DMV uploaded information about
all holders of Alaska driver's licenses and IDs -
including name, date of birth, Social Security Number,
etc. - to the SPEXS database over the weekend of
January 28, 2017.
Senator von Imhof expressed concern for the uploaded
information, citing the document:
SPEXS data about Alaskans is stored in Virginia by a
private organization, AAMVA, and a private contractor,
Clerus Solutions. Neither AAMVA nor Clerus Solutions
is subject to the Privacy Act, Freedom of Information
Act, or any of the other accountability and
transparency laws that apply to Federal or state
government agencies.
Ms. Ridle stated that the information on the document was
not entirely factual. She explained that there was
information that was shared between the states in order to
ensure that people only held one license at a time and not
several licenses from several states. She clarified that
the full social security number was not released, and if
the state did not allow for the sharing of information,
Alaska would be found non-compliant with the Real ID Act.
2:20:20 PM
Senator von Imhof understood that the SPEXS information was
stored in Virginia.
Ms. Ridle explained that AAMVA was located in Virginia. She
noted that more information on AAMVA could be found in the
appendix of the presentation. She said that the non-profit
group was comprised of all of the directors of DMVs across
the United States.
2:21:14 PM
Senator von Imhof asked what sharing of information the
Alaska DMV currently participated in, other than the AAMVA
database.
Ms. Ridle referred to Slide 8. She explained that the top
three checks, not highlighted in yellow, represented the
information currently shared between states.
2:22:24 PM
Senator von Imhof asked whether there would be new scanning
or checking protocols used by the Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) to check the new Real IDs.
Ms. Ridle deferred the question to the DMV.
Ms. Thompson responded that the cards would not contain
chips that would be scanned. She said that the scan of the
card would only reveal the information printed on the front
of the card.
2:23:39 PM
Senator von Imhof clarified that the scan would read only
what was printed on the front of the ID card.
Ms. Ridle replied in the affirmative.
2:24:45 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked how the social security number
digits would be recorded.
Ms. Ridle responded that the number would not be on the
card, but that the number would be entered into the system
at the DMV, which was common practice.
2:25:34 PM
Ms. Ridle explained that when the actual card was scanned,
the only information that was shared was what was on the
front of the card. She said that the state-to-state
database differed in that 5 digits of a person's social
security number were shared information.
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked why 5 digits were used and not a
lower number.
Ms. Thompson responded that the database was programmed for
5 digits. She said that the DMV had asked to use a lower
number, but had been told that it would not provide the
proper data and would error out.
Co-Chair MacKinnon thought that 4 digits should be
sufficient.
Ms. Thompson said that the DMV would continue to advocate
for the use of 4 digits.
2:27:20 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked whether the 5 digits were required
because of the platform that the DMV used for electronic
transmission, or because it was required by the Federal ID
Act.
Ms. Thompson said that it was required by the SPEXS
program.
Co-Chair MacKinnon asserted that the federal Real ID Act
did not require the transfer of 5 digits of a social
security number.
Ms. Thompson agreed.
2:28:06 PM
Senator Micciche wondered why compliance was "such a
priority" when there were alternative IDs available. He
asked whether there was truth in the statement that 40
other states were not yet compliant with the Real ID Act.
Ms. Ridle agreed that many people had passports and other
forma of ID, but that applying for a passport could be time
consuming and expensive. She felt that the compliant IDs
would be more easily accessible to all Alaskans, and were
easier to replace if lost. She expressed concern the people
in rural Alaska could face challenges when seeking a
passport, due to their remote location.
2:29:52 PM
Vice-Chair Bishop asked whether rural areas would have the
tools in place to acquire a Real Id.
Ms. Ridle replied that Real IDs would be available through
any DMV in the state.
2:30:38 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon relayed that a new sectional analysis
had not been distributed because of confusion between the
bill that had been introduced and the State Affairs
Committee version. She asked Ms. Ridle if she could walk
the committee through the most recent version.
2:31:17 PM
AT EASE
2:31:55 PM
RECONVENED
2:31:59 PM
Ms. Ridle shared that the current version had several
technical changes.
2:32:43 PM
AT EASE
2:33:33 PM
RECONVENED
2:34:07 PM
Ms. Ridle discussed the current version of the bill and
broke it down by sections. [Ms. Ridle read directly from
CSSB 34(STA, 30-GS1781\O. (copy on file).]
2:38:29 PM
Vice-Chair Bishop asked whether the 8 year termination
would apply to commercial driver's licenses (CDL).
Ms. Thompson explained that the CDL expiration date would
be the 8th year following issuance of the license.
2:39:13 PM
Ms. Ridle continued to read from the legislation.
Co-Chair MacKinnon OPENED public testimony.
2:43:04 PM
BRIAN DUFFY, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT
OF MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS (via teleconference),
testified that the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER)
was in compliance with provisions of the Real ID ACT.
Visitors that wished to obtain unescorted access, and did
not have identification cards compliant with the Read ID
Act, were denied entry or were required to be escorted by a
United State Department of Defense (DOD) ID cardholder
while on the installation. He said that this included
individuals with driver's licenses from Maine, Missouri,
and Montana, and those with non-enhanced licenses from
Minnesota or Washington. He stated that if Alaska Statute
did not change before the extension expiration date, Alaska
driver's licenses and similar identification cards would be
added to the list of identification cards deemed
"insufficient." He relayed that JBER leaders estimated that
approximately 14,000 contractors and local services
providers could be affected and required to have
alternative forms of identification, or would be unable to
access the installation. He stressed that it would be
unreasonable to assume that the installation could provide
an escort for those visitors. He said that currently those
without other DOD credentials used base issued defense
biometric identification cards to obtain unescorted access.
Upon that cards normal expiration date, Real IDs would be
necessary to renew. He opined that the incoming class from
eh youth military academy would be affected because many of
them would turn 18 while enrolled and would need Real ID
compliant forms of identification to obtain card for base
access.
2:47:07 PM
SHARICE WALKER, COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR
FAIRBANKS NORTHSTAR BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, FAIRBANKS (via
teleconference), spoke in support of the bill. She said
that there were 3 schools in her district on Eielson
Airforce Base, and one on Fort Wainwright, that served
approximately 1400 students and had 162 regular staff
members in addition to many district-wide employees. She
added that the schools regularly needed substitute teacher,
as well. She lamented that without a state ID option,
hundreds of staff members would have to procure a passport
in order to continue to do their jobs. She shared that the
district already struggled to attract substitute teachers
to fill absences at Eielson because of its distance from
town, and believed that the requirement to get a passport
would add to that challenge. She said that most of the
children enrolled in the schools were military connected,
but that some were not, and those civilian students
families would lose access to their children while at
school. She stated that the district supported that passage
of SB 34 in the interest of maintaining excellent service
to the students while sustaining the longstanding bond
between local communities and the military population.
2:49:35 PM
THOMAS ROTH, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, ANCHORAGE SCHOOL
DISTRICT, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke in support
of the bill. He said that the Anchorage school district
educated 1,597 student at JBER, the majority of which were
the dependents of active duty Army soldiers and Air Force
airmen, at 5 elementary schools located on the
installation. He stated that the districts information
technology department was also located on the installation.
He relayed from JBER, the district bussed 25 special needs
students to schools throughout the district, and 513
secondary school students to middle and high schools in
Eagle River and Anchorage. He related that at any given
time during a standard day up to 500 district employees
supported JBER activities, schools, and students. He shared
that in addition to educating students the district
provided administrative oversight to school staff,
maintained, repaired, and cleaned all district facilities
and equipment, performed and managed construction projects,
managed and maintained networks, and generally performed
all of the functions expected of a neighborhood elementary
school. He shared that the district was going to mandate
that current and future employees obtain a Real ID
compliant identification at individual cost beginning early
April 2017. He concluded that the legislation should be
enacted.
2:52:16 PM
AVES THOMPSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA TRUCKING
ASSOCIATION, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke in
support of the legislation. He said that many commercial
vehicle drivers, both CDL and non-CDL, had need to enter
military installations in the course of their daily
deliveries. He felt that the impact to those drives would
be considerable. He relayed his understanding of the
federal law. He listed the commodities that the truck
drivers were responsible for providing to military bases.
2:54:40 PM
KARA MORIARTY, PRESIDENT AND CEO, ALASKA OIL AND GAS
ASSOCIATION, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), testified in
support of the bill. She relayed to the committee her
understanding of what the legislation would do. She stated
that the issue was important to the oil and gas industry as
most of their current production was on the North Slope,
and nearly every employee utilized air travel that required
passing through TSA checkpoints to get to work. She said
that without passage of the bill all of their employees
would be required to get a passport, which would be a
challenge to accomplish by the federal deadline for
compliance.
2:56:30 PM
DAN LOWDEN, CAPTAIN, ALASKA STATE TROOPERS, ANCHORAGE (via
teleconference), relayed that he was available for
questions.
Vice-Chair Bishop asked what kind of information was
currently available to law enforcement when they ran a
license during a routine traffic stop.
2:56:58 PM
Mr. Lowden replied that the ID would be run through the
National Crime Information Center (NCIC) in order to check
for traffic histories, warrants, and locates in other
cities.
2:57:31 PM
KEVIN POMEROY, LABORERS LOCAL 942, FAIRBANKS (via
teleconference), testified in support of the bill. He
shared that he represented over 5,000 members from Barrow
to None, Kotzebue, the Interior, and Southeast Alaska. He
relayed that a substantial amount of military construction
was scheduled to begin, which would require scores of
additional seasonal construction workers all needing entry
to military bases. He said that there had been a major
effort over the past several months to focus on Alaska hire
on many of the projects. He said that the state needed to
issue Real ID compliant identification, otherwise Alaskan
workers will be replaced by out-of-state workers who have
Read ID compliant identification. He expressed concern for
Alaskans who travel in-state for work, or who had to travel
for medical reasons. He felt that it was urgent that the
state offer the choice to get a federally compliant ID. He
lamented that otherwise, Alaska would be the only state
where a person would need a passport in order to visit the
state capital.
3:01:25 PM
DON ETHRIDGE, AFL-CIO, JUNEAU, spoke in support of the
legislation. He relayed that passports took a very long
time to receive, even when expedited, which was expensive.
He countered that renewing a license at the DMV was much
faster. He stated that most of the information necessary to
receive a Real ID was already available online.
3:03:21 PM
BARBARA HUFF TUCKNESS, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENTAL AND
LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, TEAMSTERS LOCAL 959, spoke in support
of the bill. She shared that her members were already
subject to extensive background checks. She expressed
concern that workers from out-of-state could have an
advantage over Alaskan workers without Real ID compliant
identification. She testified that the legislation would
ensure that her member's work opportunities were not
jeopardized, and that the public was not negatively
impacted.
3:05:57 PM
ERIC GLATT, STAFF ATTORNEY, AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION,
ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), spoke in opposition to the
legislation. He expressed concern about the privacy
implications of the Real ID Act. He said that the act
placed an unfair burden on the people of Alaska without
proof of it furthering any compelling security interests.
He hope that the committee would consider the
recommendations from the ACLU, and take the steps to
compromise Alaskans privacy to the least extent possible.
He spoke of the work that the ACLU had done in opposition
to the Real ID Act. He relayed that written recommendations
had been sent to the committee (copy on file).
3:08:15 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon expressed appreciation for the
testimony.
3:08:19 PM
Vice-Chair Bishop asked Mr. Glatt for a contact number.
Mr. Glatt replied 907-263-2005.
3:09:38 PM
TIM JONES, DOYON UTILITIES, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference),
testified that the company owned, operated, and maintained
the utilities of three army installation in the state. He
expressed support for the legislation. He said that his
company employed 170 Alaskans, all of whom required access
to military installations as a requirement of holding their
job. He feared that if the state remained non-compliant,
non-Alaskan companies would be awarded contracts in the
state, rather than Alaskan companies.
3:12:14 PM
PAM GOODE, SELF, RURAL DELTANA (via teleconference), spoke
against the bill. She believed that the bill was in
violation of the Constitution.
3:14:27 PM
EDWARD HASBROUCK, IDENTITY PROJECT, SAN FRANCISCO (via
teleconference), spoke against the legislation. He stated
that he had submitted a written testimony (copy on file).
He highlighted the possible fiscal implications of the
legislation.
3:18:04 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon CLOSED public testimony.
3:18:26 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon solicited comments in response to the
public and invited testimony.
Ms. Ridle replied that the original bill and the most
recent version both offered a choice to Alaskans. She
stressed that the idea that everyone could just get a
passport seemed easy enough in theory, but that the reality
was that it would be a cumbersome and expensive process for
many Alaskans. She assured the committee that the DMV
encrypted their data in order to ensure that information
was kept confidential.
3:19:46 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked how many states were participating
in the AAMVA program.
Ms. Ridle deferred the question to the DMV.
Ms. Thompson responded that 15 states were participating in
the AAMVA program.
3:20:36 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon queried the issue surrounding the number
of digits of a social security number that were shared
using the program.
Ms. Thompson replied that the state-to-state program was
developed and run by the states. She said that the point
was to ensure that people only had one drivers license
issued to them at a time.
3:21:20 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon maintained that five digits was
unacceptable.
Ms. Thompson replied that the DMV was simply doing what was
required and that she could not change the entire system in
order to accommodate Alaskans concerns for privacy.
Ms. Ridle furthered that the DMV could lobby for a change
to four digits.
3:22:43 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked for the timeframe for
implementation if the bill were to pass this legislative
cycle.
Ms. Ridle replied that if a bill were to pass the state
would receive another waiver to allow for set-up time. She
noted that there was not a DMV in ever community, which
meant that the earliest that the process could begin would
be spring of 2018.
3:23:50 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon understood that no waivers would be
granted after 2020.
Ms. Ridle replied in the affirmative.
3:24:09 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon surmised that the state would handle the
change through an extension on the waiver process, versus
the DMV issuing compliant licensure.
Ms. Ridle explained that the two would be concurrent; the
state would receive the waiver while the changeover
occurred. She hoped that the waiver could extend for as
long as it took to get all Alaskans the proper
identification under the law.
Co-Chair MacKinnon spoke to the possible expense for the
equipment needed to produce the licensure in the state. She
wondered whether the administration could comply with the
changes proposed in the legislation.
Ms. Ridle replied that compliance would be impossible
without first purchasing the proper equipment. She shared
that fiscal note information on the cost of in-state
production could be made available. She said that the DMV
would prefer to use an outside company for printing of IDs.
3:26:41 PM
CHERI LOWENSTEIN DIRECTOR, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES,
DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION, interjected that the $1.5
million reflected in the fiscal note would go toward the
purchasing of equipment to make the state real ID
compliant; the additional $530,000 in the note was for the
production of the licenses in-state. The fiscal note
reflected the one position that would be dedicated to the
project, also funds were being requested to cover the
additional cost of producing Real IDs.
3:27:57 PM
Ms. Ridle explained that the note envisioned a central
issuance in the state.
3:28:50 PM
Senator Micciche asked whether a Real ID would serve the
same purposes as a passport for international travel.
Ms. Ridle replied in the negative. She believed a person
would still need a passport to travel outside of the
country.
3:29:04 PM
Senator Micciche understood that a passport would satisfy
all of the requirements of the Real ID Act.
Ms. Ridle replied in the affirmative.
3:30:10 PM
Senator Micciche understood that the program was optional.
Ms. Ridle replied that the process at the DMV would have
been identical for compliant and non-compliant IDs. She
stated that the under the current version photos, and other
documentation would not be retained by the DMV; those who
obtained a non-compliant license would have to produce all
of the pertinent documents each time they renewed their
license.
3:30:36 PM
Senator von Imhof supported the use of four and not five
digits of a social security number. She asked whether there
was a way to be in compliance, while meeting the needs of
some of the privacy concerns that had been raised.
Ms. Ridle responded that there were ways that the DMV could
explore the suggestions made by the ACLU. She said that she
was not sure if electronic copies of documents needed to be
kept.
3:32:20 PM
Ms. Thompson believed that a paper copy would be
sufficient, but that she would need to double check.
Co-Chair MacKinnon announced that amendments were due to
her office by 5pm on Tuesday, March 28, 2017. She discussed
housekeeping.
SB 34 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
ADJOURNMENT
3:33:37 PM
The meeting was adjourned at 3:33 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SFC 2017 Confirmation Information Packet 2.pdf |
SFIN 3/27/2017 1:30:00 PM |
Confirmations 2017 |
| SB 34 2017.03.26 ACLU Amendments to SB 34.pdf |
SFIN 3/27/2017 1:30:00 PM |
SB 34 |
| SB 34 PapersPlease-REAL-ID-Facts for-Alaskans.pdf |
SFIN 3/27/2017 1:30:00 PM |
SB 34 |
| SB 34 2017.03.26 ACLU Analysis of SB 34.pdf |
SFIN 3/27/2017 1:30:00 PM |
SB 34 |
| SB 34 CSSB34 (STA) REAL ID Presentation 3.27.17 Finance FINAL.pdf |
SFIN 3/27/2017 1:30:00 PM |
SB 34 |
| SB 34 AOGA REAL ID FINAL.pdf |
SFIN 3/27/2017 1:30:00 PM |
SB 34 |