SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 184(STA) "An Act relating to a commemorative troops license plate and to license plates available to disabled veterans; relating to mandatory motor vehicle insurance, license suspensions, and notices relating to motor vehicles and driver's licenses; relating to registration of vehicles for disabled persons; relating to the anatomical gift awareness fund; and providing for an effective date." This was the first hearing for this bill in the Senate Finance Committee. Co-Chair Hoffman moved to adopt committee substitute Version 25- LS0621\V, Luckhaupt, dated May 14, 2007, as the working document. There being no objection, committee substitute Version 25- LS0621\V was ADOPTED as the working document. 11:31:24 AM REPRESENTATIVE BOB ROSES, the bill's sponsor, stated that the bill would establish a process through which people could purchase commemorative plates in honor of those serving in the military. The money raised by this endeavor would be utilized to assist military families with such things as activities, rent and other necessities, and education scholarships. While, many components of the bill have changed during its committee hearing process, an amendment of particular note was one that expanded the program to include families of individuals serving in the Alaska National Guard. 11:32:38 AM JOSH APPLEBEE, Staff to Representative Bob Roses, informed the Committee that Version "V" refined and shortened language contained in previous versions of the bill. Mr. Applebee stated that several amendments were adopted during the bill's committee hearing process. For example, the Senate State Affairs Committee added language to Section 1 subsection (d) page 1 lines 7 through 10 to specify that money donated to the organ transplant program "may be appropriated by the Legislature to Life Alaska, Inc." The intent of specifically naming Life Alaska Inc. in the bill was to clarify where the money donated to this program would be appropriated. Mr. Applebee continued. The House Veterans and Military Affairs Committee added language to Section 2 to allow disabled veterans to continue getting their vehicle license plates free of charge. The amendment served to exempt them from the federal requirement that the international disability symbol be depicted on the plate. "That's a personal choice that I believe we should offer them." 11:34:14 AM Mr. Applebee stated that language in Section 3 provided specifics to the design and the printing of the commemorative troops license plates proposed in this legislation. Mr. Applebee noted that the House Finance Committee added language to Section 4 subsection (f) page 3 lines 1 through 8 which would allow residents over the age of 65 with a demonstrated disability to receive their vehicle license plate free of charge. Mr. Applebee stated that the fee pertaining to the commemorative troops license plate is detailed in Section 5 page 3 lines 9 through 20 of the bill. The $40 fee would be in addition to the regular license plate fee and would be earmarked to benefit Alaska troops and their families. Mr. Applebee noted that Section 6, page 3 line 21, specifies that the legislation would become effective July 1, 2007. 11:35:19 AM Senator Huggins asked for further information about Life Alaska, Inc. 11:35:33 AM Mr. Applebee advised that Life Alaska Inc. is non-profit organization which facilitates the data management of individuals who sign up as organ and tissue donors. Were such an individual to die, Life Alaska would determine which organs were available and where they would need to be transported. 11:36:07 AM Senator Huggins asked for further clarification about language in Section 1; specifically whether the money collected from the purchase of the commemorative troops license plates would be allocated to Life Alaska Inc. Mr. Applebee clarified that the Division of Motor Vehicles operated two donation programs: one for money donated by people toward the organ transplant program and the other being the commemorative troops license plate fee. The language in Section 1 referred to the organ transplant program. Senator Huggins acknowledged. 11:36:59 AM Senator Huggins asked whether the eligibility criteria for the disability license fee waiver proposed in Section 2, would specify that an individual must be a minimum of 50 percent disabled. Mr. Applebee understood that to be correct. 11:37:07 AM Co-Chair Stedman, noting that Duane Bannock with the Division of Motor Vehicles was participating via teleconference, asked him to explain how the money donated to the organ donor program is collected and allocated. DUANE BANNOCK, Director, Division of Motor Vehicles, Department of Administration, testified via teleconference from an offnet location and informed the Committee that "the Anatomical Gift Awareness Fund" was established approximately four years ago. People visiting a Division of Motor Vehicle Office are asked whether they would like to contribute to the Fund, also referred to as the Donate a Dollar for Life fund. Donations have been collected for the Program for approximately the past three and a half years. Co-Chair Stedman asked how the funds are dispersed. 11:37:59 AM Mr. Bannock stated that that is the effort being undertaken in this bill. This legislation would allow that money to be allocated to Life Alaska Inc which is the organization in Alaska "responsible of promotion of organ and tissue donation." Co-Chair Stedman understood that the Donate a Dollar for Life fund has accumulated approximately $60,000 to date. Mr. Bannock affirmed. Mr. Bannock disclosed that he was a volunteer board member of Life Alaska Inc. donor services. Co-Chair Stedman asked whether Life Alaska Inc. is the only organization in the State involved in an organ donor program. Mr. Bannock understood that to be true. 11:38:55 AM Amendment #1: This amendment deletes the entirety of Section 1, page 1 lines 5 through 8 and replaces it with the following language. Section 1. AS 13.50.160(d) is repealed and reenacted to read: (d) Money in the fund may be appropriated by the legislature to an organization for the purpose of promoting the donation program established in AS 13.50 and AS 13.52. The amendment also repeals Alaska Statute 13.50.160(c). The language being deleted reads as follows. (c) Donations to the fund shall be segregated within the fund until they are appropriated for use by the fund. Co-Chair Stedman moved Amendment #1 and objected for purposes of discussion. 11:39:17 AM MILES BAKER, Staff to Co-Chair Stedman, distributed a copy of Alaska Statute Section 13.15.160. Anatomical gift awareness fund., which was the section of Statute affected by this amendment and a copy of a May 14, 2007 memorandum from Gerald Luckhaupt, Legislative Counsel, addressed to Senator Stedman [copies on file]. The memorandum advised that the "direct appropriations of funds to private organizations, even non- profit organizations such as the reference to Life Alaska, Inc. in Section 1 page 1 line 8 of Version "V", "may violate the public purpose clause of Art. IX" of the State's Constitution. Mr. Baker stated that this amendment would remove the reference to Life Alaska Inc in order to address the Constitutionality concern. The intent, however, is that the Legislature would annually authorize an appropriation to Alaska Life Inc from the fund. "The primary reason the money has not been spent is because the Legislature just hasn't appropriated it." Mr. Baker communicated that the Statutory language pertinent to the Anatomical gift awareness fund was modeled after a similar program adopted by the State of Washington. The Statute "is a bit confusing" because that state's use of the term "appropriations" differs from that of Alaska's. Mr. Baker advised therefore that Amendment #1 would repeal the language currently in AS 13.50.160(c) and would rewrite AS 13.50.160(d). Mr. Baker stated that Life Alaska Inc. is currently the only organ donor management organization in the State. The proposed language could accommodate any other organization that might conduct similar operations. 11:42:04 AM Senator Thomas understood therefore that the amendment would alter language in Version "V" to specify that the appropriation to be made to "an organization" in general rather than a specific named organization. Mr. Baker replied that that was correct. Co-Chair Stedman removed his objection. There being no further objection, Amendment #1 was ADOPTED. Co-Chair Hoffman moved to report committee substitute Version 25-LS0621\V, as amended, from Committee with individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, SCS CSHB 184(FIN) was REPORTED from Committee with previous zero fiscal note #1 from the Department of Administration. 11:43:54 AM