04/13/2023 01:30 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION

                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
            SENATE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                          
                         April 13, 2023                                                                                         
                           1:32 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator James Kaufman, Chair                                                                                                    
Senator David Wilson, Vice Chair                                                                                                
Senator Robert Myers                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Löki Tobin                                                                                                              
Senator Jesse Kiehl                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATE BILL NO. 123                                                                                                             
"An Act relating to commercial motor vehicle drivers' license                                                                   
requirements; and providing for an effective date."                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     - MOVED SB 123 OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
BILL: SB 123                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: LICENSE REQUIREMENTS: COMM. DRIVERS                                                                                
SPONSOR(s): TRANSPORTATION                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
04/05/23       (S)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        
04/05/23       (S)       TRA, L&C                                                                                               
04/11/23       (S)       TRA AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205                                                                           
04/11/23       (S)       Heard & Held                                                                                           
04/11/23       (S)       MINUTE(TRA)                                                                                            
04/13/23       (S)       TRA AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
DON ETHERIDGE, Lobbyist                                                                                                         
Alaska American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial                                                                  
Organizations (AFL-CIO)                                                                                                         
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 123.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
TETYANA ROBBINS, CEO and Co-Founder                                                                                             
Ukraine Relief Program                                                                                                          
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of SB 123.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:32:34 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  JAMES KAUFMAN  called the  Senate Transportation  Standing                                                             
Committee meeting  to order at 1:32  p.m. Present at the  call to                                                               
order were Senators Myers, Wilson and Chair Kaufman.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
           SB 123-LICENSE REQUIREMENTS: COMM. DRIVERS                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:33:12 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAUFMAN announced the consideration  of SENATE BILL NO. 123                                                               
"An  Act relating  to commercial  motor vehicle  drivers' license                                                               
requirements; and providing for an effective date."                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
This is  the second hearing and  the intention is to  hear public                                                               
testimony and report the bill from committee.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:33:59 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAUFMAN opened public testimony on SB 123.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:34:19 PM                                                                                                                    
DON ETHERIDGE, Lobbyist, Alaska  American Federation of Labor and                                                               
Congress of  Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO),  Juneau, Alaska,                                                               
testified in support of SB 123.  He expressed his belief that the                                                               
proposed  legislation would  remove barriers  for those  in rural                                                               
Alaska seeking to  obtain CDLs and related  employment. He opined                                                               
that the training and testing  offer excellent commercial vehicle                                                               
driving preparation.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:35:43 PM                                                                                                                    
TETYANA  ROBBINS, CEO  and  Co-Founder,  Ukraine Relief  Program,                                                               
Anchorage, Alaska,  testified in  support of  SB 123.  She stated                                                               
that her  relief program  brought approximately  1,000 Ukrainians                                                               
to safety  here in Alaska.  A large number settled  in Anchorage,                                                               
others  in  Mat-Su,  Delta  Junction,  Fairbanks,  Dutch  Harbor,                                                               
Kodiak, Ketchikan, and Juneau. The  most important aspect of this                                                               
program  is   finding  employment.  She  opined,   from  personal                                                               
experience, that  the best  way to  be productive,  find friends,                                                               
and join  the community  is through a  job. Many  Ukrainians have                                                               
experience  with heavy  equipment and  driving trucks  and buses.                                                               
She  learned  that  Alaska is  not  well-coordinated  with  other                                                               
states.  She noted  that a  driver can  obtain a  CDL quickly  in                                                               
other  states.  She  hoped  that   Alaska  does  not  lose  good,                                                               
professional drivers to other states.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:39:28 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAUFMAN closed public testimony on SB 123.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:39:40 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MYERS  commented that SB  123 pertains to  his profession                                                               
outside of the  legislature. Initially, he wondered  if this bill                                                               
would  help  CDL  drivers. He  expressed  satisfaction  that  the                                                               
proposed legislation  will help. There  is an increased  need for                                                               
drivers in  construction and mining.  He opined that SB  123 will                                                               
remove a significant barrier and help people get to work.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:41:06 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR WILSON agreed with the previous  speaker that SB 123 is a                                                               
helpful bill.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:41:25 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAUFMAN solicited the will of the committee.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:41:32 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MYERS  moved to  report SB  123, work  order 33-LS0721\A,                                                               
from  committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  attached                                                               
fiscal note(s).                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:41:47 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAUFMAN  found no  objection and SB  123 was  reported from                                                               
the Senate Transportation Standing Committee.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:41:52 PM                                                                                                                    
At ease.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:43:04 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR KAUFMAN reconvened the meeting.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:43:21 PM                                                                                                                    
There being  no further  business to  come before  the committee,                                                               
Chair  Kaufman  adjourned   the  Senate  Transportation  Standing                                                               
Committee meeting at 1:43 p.m.