SB 163-DEFINITION OF COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES  4:16:19 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the next order of business would be CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 163(STA), "An Act relating to commercial motor vehicles." 4:16:55 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS opened public testimony on SB 163. 4:17:07 PM AVES THOMPSON, Executive Director, Alaska Trucking Association, offered support for SB 163 as it helps clarify the statutes and makes it easier for the trucking industry to understand and comply with the statutes and regulations governing the operations of the industry's businesses. This legislation reduces the burden put on farmers and farm vehicles by removing the 150-mile restriction on farmers transporting their "covered farm vehicles" while in the conduct of their business and it allows them to operate statewide. He noted that the legislation does make clear that if farmers choose to enter the "for hire world," they need to comply with the commercial vehicle rules and regulations. This legislation provides certainty for more carriers of passengers by clearly identifying school bus operations. School buses are not considered commercial motor vehicles while conducting school bus operations, but they will be required to comply with commercial vehicle rules and regulations should they engage in "for hire transport" other than school bus operations. He related that this bill also provides clarification for carriers transporting hazardous materials in amounts that require a placard. The Alaska Trucking Association urged the committee to consider these changes favorably as the changes will provide valuable clarifications, he said. REPRESENTATIVE KNOPP noted that the Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DTPF) provided the committee with a copy of the "farm plate mentioned in the bill," and opined that the state does not currently register "implements, farm trackers, whatever else may run down the road. We do motor vehicle, I think, as well," and noted that registrations must be renewed every two years with a price of $68. He asked, "Are we now going to have to license hay wagons and anything else that we pull? As you know, in the commercial world we get the commercial plate which is -- doesn't expire, it's a permanent plate. And we've move to -- started exempted vehicles eight years old and older." He asked Mr. Thompson's thoughts on "this licensing thing. Are we now having to license a lot of implements that we never had to in the past?" 4:20:03 PM MR. THOMPSON responded that that question is outside of his expertise and noted that the Alaska Trucking Association is looking more to the commercial vehicle safety regulations. It could be that some vehicles might be required to be registered, there are other truck-tractor, semi-trailer configurations that even in the farm operation would be required to be registered, he said. 4:20:46 PM AMY SEITZ, Executive Director, Alaska Farm Bureau, offered support for CSSB 163, and noted that Alaskan farmers and ranchers must travel vast distances to reach their markets and gather the supplies necessary to operate their farm or ranch. She related that requiring farmers to operate their vehicles under the commercial motor vehicle regulations for seasonal or occasional use increases costs and burdens to the state's farmers, and the current exemption of travel within 150 miles of the farm is difficult because it restricts travel for access to markets or supplies. Changing the 150-mile limit for the exemption to statewide will clarify the issue for law enforcement because it is currently not clear whether a farm vehicle is within the 150-mile limit, she offered. She urged the committee to support the passage of CSSB 163, to help ease the restrictions of Alaska's farmers and their vehicles, and also give clarity to law enforcement. 4:22:57 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS, after ascertaining no one wished to testify, closed public testimony on CSSB 163. 4:23:08 PM REPRESENTATIVE KNOPP asked the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), [Department of Administration], to answer the question with regard to its intent as to the plates and whether there would be a new requirement for licensing trailers and such. He commented that if the Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DTPF) had an answer he would be glad to hear its response. 4:23:48 PM REPRESENTATIVE TUCK commented that these regulations are new, but the requirements are the same requirements because the only change is the 150-mile limit change to 500-mile limit. REPRESENTATIVE KNOPP said that that would be his question because he was not aware Alaska had a farm plate in existence, he thought it was a new application, so that was a clarification. 4:24:35 PM DANIEL BYRD, Chief, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, Division of Measurement Standards and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DTPF), advised that currently the "Covered Farm Vehicle" must have a method to identify the vehicle as a farm vehicle, which is the registration. There is a farm plate used for vehicles that are outside of the definition, but this bill would not change anything as far as how vehicles are registered, or what vehicles need to be registered. Typically, he offered, farm tractors and equipment would not be registered by the DMV, but the DMV should speak to that issue if there is still a question. 4:25:47 PM REPRESENTATIVE WOOL moved to report CSSB 163, labeled 30- GS2597\D, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSSB 163(STA), moved from the House State Affairs Standing Committee.