HB 509 - ALASKA CHILDREN'S TRUST LICENSE PLATES Number 1363 CHAIR COGHILL announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 509, "An Act relating to Alaska children's trust registration plates; and providing for an effective date." Number 1302 AMY ERICKSON, Staff to Representative Lisa Murkowski, Alaska State Legislature, presented HB 509 on behalf of Representative Murkowski, sponsor. She explained that HB 509 makes Alaska children's trust license plates available to any commercial or non-commercial passenger vehicle, truck, bus, van, or motor home. The original version included motorcycles, which was not the intent of the sponsor. The motorcycle plates are too small to accommodate the standard-sized plate, so the proposed committee substitute excludes motorcycles and includes commercial and non-commercial vehicles. CHAIR COGHILL moved to adopt CSHB 509, version 22-LS1641\C, Ford, 4/1/02, as the working document. There being no objection, Version C was before the committee. Number 1244 MS. ERICKSON told the committee that the bill makes one minor change to Alaska Statute to allow the Alaska children's trust to market trust plates to commercial motor vehicle owners. Current statutes only allow owners of non-commercial vehicles to apply for the plates. This mirrors the structure of the University of Alaska plates program. The small change in statute will allow the trust to respond positively to requests by industry and private business to purchase the plates for their fleet vehicles and to market sales to an additional 56,000 vehicle owners who support the mission and activities of the Alaska children's trust. This could boost the trust by $5,650,000 for prevention of neglect and child abuse. There is a one-time-only $100 fee for the plates. MS. ERICKSON explained that the trust was established by the legislature in 1988, and it is a savings account dedicated to funding community-based projects to eliminate child abuse and neglect. The trust fund grows through gifts, bequests, corporate and individual contributions, legislative appropriations, federal funds, sales of heirloom marriage and birth certificates, and the children's trust plates. Passage of HB 509 will greatly expand the children's trust savings account and the ability to fund projects through grants. She encouraged the committee's support. Number 1115 MARY MARSHBURN, Director, Division of Motor Vehicles, Department of Administration, testified via teleconference. She informed the committee that there are no costs associated with HB 509 because the plates are already on hand. She expressed support for the proposed committee substitute. Number 1068 GLENN GODFREY, Commissioner, Department of Public Safety; Board Member, Alaska Children's Trust, testified via teleconference. He added his support to this bill. Any support for additional funding to help protect Alaska's children is appreciated, he said. Number 1031 REPRESENTATIVE JAMES moved to report CSHB 509 [version 22- LS1641\C, Ford, 4/1/02] out of committee with individual recommendations and the attached fiscal note. There being no objection, CSHB 509(STA) was reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.