HB 139-ALLOW SCREEN DEVICES IN UTILITY VEHICLES 8:05:43 AM CHAIR LYNN announced that the first order of business was HOUSE BILL NO. 139, "An Act providing for an exception to allow drivers of public utility motor vehicles to operate those vehicles with certain screen devices operating and visible to the drivers." 8:05:47 AM ALLISON LAFFEN, Staff, Representative Max Gruenberg, Alaska State Legislature, presented HB 139 on behalf of Representative Gruenberg, co-sponsor. She explained that House Bill 88, passed during the Twenty-Fifth Alaska State Legislature, prohibits the driver of an automobile from operating a screen device, such as a television, video monitor, or portable computer, within his/her view while the automobile is in motion. Exceptions were made at the time for cell phone and Global Position System (GPS) usage, as well as to address the needs of the Department of Transportation regarding construction and maintenance. However, because of an oversight, an exception was not made for public utilities companies. The proposed legislation would correct that oversight. MS. LAFFEN explained the needs of the public utilities companies by paraphrasing a portion of the sponsor statement, which read as follows: This legislation would provide public utilities with similar access for maintenance, repair, or data acquisition in order to perform their duties. As an example, meter readers for a gas company no longer physically exit their car to collect usage information; instead the information is collected by interrogating the meter as the meter reader drives past the location. The drivers need to verify as they drive by a home, for example, that the data is being collected. More importantly, if there is a gas leak, the driver will see on his screen device that there is a problem with the line as he drives by the point of leak. Finally, the drivers also receive messages from police and fire departments in the case of an emergency where a gas line would need to be shut off. Other public utilities, as defined in AS 42.05.990, have similar reasons for needing access to a screen device in performance of their duties. 8:08:23 AM PHIL STEYER, Director, Government Relations and Corporate Communications, Chugach Electric Association (CEA), stated that CEA has two primary uses of screen devices: to view the result of meters being read by a radio signal; and to see the display of a mobile mapping system. He said both those systems have made CEA much more efficient. 8:10:05 AM JIM POSEY, General Manager, Anchorage Municipal Light & Power, had his testimony, in support of HB 139 and in appreciation of the work of the committee in addressing the issue, presented by Phil Steyer. MR. STEYER, in response to Chair Lynn, confirmed that the traditional meter reader is no longer used; meters are now read either by a van-mounted system or by a handheld device. He illustrated the efficiency of the new system by noting that [CEA] used to need thirteen meter readers, but now only needs about three. 8:11:14 AM BRIAN NEWTON, President/CEO, Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA), said he supports [HB 139]. He said GVEA has been using mobile devices in its trucks for about five years and, through the use of handheld devices, is now doing the work with five meter readers that used to require eight. He noted that GVEA embarked on a program to test the use of laptop [computers] in its trucks. He explained that some of the truck operators, especially those who do repairs, use laptops and have the ability to see the screen as they drive. The information displayed helps the truck operator get to the location much quicker. He said the use of laptops is a critical means of finding direction and becoming more efficient. MR. NEWTON, in response Chair Lynn, said currently GVEA uses cell phones to relay emergency information, but ultimately the company would like to link the laptop with mobile communication, which would enable it to receive and transmit orders from the field remotely. 8:13:52 AM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON said he wants to ensure that the drivers would not be using the laptop while operating the vehicle. 8:14:34 AM MR. NEWTON said drivers would be prohibited from entering data while driving; they would use the screen to determine location, but stop the vehicle before entering data. REPRESENTATIVE SEATON said he wants the committee to make it clear that that prohibition should be part of all the companies' policies. CHAIR LYNN said that would be the committee's recommendation, but the committee has no power to say what goes into the companies' manuals. MR. NEWTON said driving while entering information would be as dangerous as driving while "texting" on a cell phone. 8:16:18 AM CURTIS THAYER, Director, Corporate & External Affairs, ENSTAR Natural Gas Company ("ENSTAR"), testified in support of HB 139. He said the passage of the bill would ensure that utility companies are in compliance with state law. He related that ENSTAR is a leader in using new technology to improve customer service and hold down operating costs. The company has been using automated meter reading for 10 years, he noted, which provides customers with "real-time" information upon billing. The system requires a van operator to drive through neighborhoods at 10 miles per hour, at which time [the reader] acquires data. Mr. Thayer reported that ENSTAR is looking to introduce a field order system (FOS) to provide real-time information on work orders between field personnel dispatch and customer service. He said ENSTAR currently dispatches its service technicians and distribution crews as a normal course of business, which includes responding to gas leaks, fires, and other emergency situations. He announced that ENSTAR's dispatch response is ranked one of the best in the country, at 21 minutes compared to the national average of 30 minutes. MR. THAYER, in response to Representative Seaton, said ENSTAR's company policy is that the van operator pull over before doing any testing or data input. Meter reading, he explained involves data being received into a terminal [inside the van] as the driver proceeds down the street. 8:19:14 AM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said the word, "information", used [on page 2, sub-paragraphs] (F), (G), and (I), means information coming in; it needs no further clarification. 8:19:57 AM CHAIR LYNN, after ascertaining that there was no one else to testify, closed public testimony. 8:20:08 AM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON indicated that some utility companies had expressed concern regarding the issue of vehicle dispatching and response information. 8:21:20 AM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG responded by referred to a letter in the committee packet from Gerald P. Luckhaupt, Legislative Counsel, dated March 4, 2009, which read, in part, as follows: You have asked if the exception provided by this bill for public "utility construction, maintenance, [or] repair" would include dispatching and response information for those purposes. In my opinion it would include dispatching and response information as well as other activities related to "utility construction, maintenance, [or] repair." REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said this statement was transmitted to the utility companies, and he stated his belief that they are satisfied with the current language. 8:22:09 AM REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON opined that the term "data acquisition" is a broad enough term to cover "anything they want to send to these trucks." He said he thinks it is not necessary to amend the language. 8:22:40 AM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG indicated that the new language [on page 2, lines 13-15,] was drafted from language provided by Mr. Thayer and is based upon language in [sub-paragraphs] (F), (G), and (H). 8:23:07 AM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON moved to report HB 139 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HB 139 was reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.