HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE March 25, 1993 5:00 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Richard Foster, Chair Representative Gary Davis, Vice-Chair Representative Eldon Mulder Representative Al Vezey Representative Jerry Mackie Representative Curt Menard MEMBERS ABSENT Representative Bill Hudson COMMITTEE CALENDAR Marine Pilots Board Confirmation Recommendations *HB 207: "An Act relating to the organization of the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities into four regions." MOVED FROM COMMITTEE WITH INDIVIDUAL RECOMMENDATIONS HB 61: "An Act relating to the offense of operating a motor vehicle, aircraft, or watercraft while intoxicated; and providing for an effective date." MOVED FROM COMMITTEE WITH INDIVIDUAL RECOMMENDATIONS (* First public hearing.) WITNESS REGISTER LARRY LABOLLE, Chief of Staff Representative Richard Foster Alaska State Legislature Room 611 - Court Building Juneau, Alaska 99801-1182 465-3789 Position Statement: Provided overview on HB 207. RON B. LIND, Director Plans, Programs and Budget Department of Transportation and Public Facilities 3132 Channel Drive Juneau, Alaska 99801-7898 465-2171 Position Statement: Provided testimony re:fiscal note, HB 207. REPRESENTATIVE JIM NORDLUND Alaska State Legislature State Capitol Juneau, Alaska 99801-1182 465-4712 Position Statement: Sponsor of HB 61. JUANITA HENSLEY, Chief, Driver Services Division of Motor Vehicles Department of Public Safety P.O. BOX 20020 Juneau, Alaska 99802-0200 465-4371 Position Statement: Answered questions regarding proposed amendment to HB 61. PREVIOUS ACTION BILL: HB 207 SHORT TITLE: ESTABLISH FOUR DOTPF REGIONS BY LAW BILL VERSION: SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) FOSTER,Hoffman,Mackie TITLE: "An Act relating to the organization of the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities into four regions." JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION 03/08/93 569 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S) 03/08/93 570 (H) TRANSPORTATION, FINANCE 03/25/93 (H) TRA AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 17 BILL: HB 61 SHORT TITLE: LOWER ALCOHOL LIMIT TO 0.08 FOR OMVI'S BILL VERSION: SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) NORDLUND,Ulmer,Brown TITLE: "An Act relating to the offense of operating a motor vehicle, aircraft, or watercraft while intoxicated; and providing for an effective date." JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION 01/15/93 73 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S) 01/15/93 74 (H) TRANSPORTATION,JUDICIARY,FINANCE 01/27/93 169 (H) COSPONSOR(S): BROWN 02/25/93 (H) TRA AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 17 02/25/93 (H) MINUTE(TRA) 03/25/93 (H) TRA AT 05:00 PM CAPITOL 17 ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 93-11, SIDE A Number 015 CHAIR FOSTER called the meeting to order at 5:23 p.m. CHAIR FOSTER referred to the first item he wanted to bring up on the agenda, the CONFIRMATION OF THE MEMBERS TO THE MARINE PILOTS BOARD. He referred to the files and asked each member to take a moment to look at the resumes for the following individuals: Mark E. Springer, John C. Klepper, and Donna Bumgardner. Number 027 REPRESENTATIVE MACKIE moved for the confirmation of Mark E. Springer, John C. Klepper and Donna Bumgardner and moved that the three be moved from the committee with individual recommendations. Hearing no objection, CHAIR FOSTER moved to the next item on the agenda, HB 207. HB 207 - ESTABLISH FOUR DOTPF REGIONS BY LAW Number 039 CHAIR FOSTER indicated to the committee that he was prime sponsor of this resolution and introduced LARRY LABOLLE, his Chief-of Staff, and indicated he would be providing testimony on HB 207. Number 042 LARRY LABOLLE began his testimony stating that HB 207 was introduced to generate discussion related to the need for more emphasis on rural airport and road maintenance and construction. He described how neglected the roads and airports were, particularly in the Central Region. He stated, "not only are many rural airports in serious need of being upgraded; airport roads, roads to safe water sources, roads to sewage disposal sites and roads to land fill sites are nonexistent or in bad repair in many villages." The district described by Mr. Labolle is envisioned to encompass the part of Northern Alaska not connected to the Dalton Highway, Western Alaska, the Lower Yukon River, the Kuskokwim River, South Western Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. Kodiak would probably still best be served by the Central Region, he said. Number 046 CHAIR FOSTER indicated that he hoped that as this bill was discussed, people would give thought as to how the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT\PF) might be reorganized to better develop the necessary transportation infrastructure in that rural part of the state not connected to the core highway system. He said it was distressing to travel and see the shape of the airports and roads in many parts of rural Alaska. Number 098 RON LIND, DIRECTOR, PLANS, PROGRAMS AND MANAGEMENT, DOT/PF, discussed the high costs attached to the proposed fiscal note and mentioned that some of the administrative services could be provided by the Central Region, etc. However, he mentioned that anyplace these offices would be located beyond Anchorage would increase the costs. Number 177 REPRESENTATIVE MENARD asked Chair Foster if the main purpose of the bill was in response to the lack of attention currently given to the rural region of the state. Number 186 CHAIR FOSTER responded that the rural areas really lost out in federal road money provided by the Intermodel Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) in the past. Currently, due to the lack of roads in rural Alaska that qualify for the "core" definition type roads money attached to the ISTEA program, rural Alaska gets a minor amount on this ISTEA money. REPRESENTATIVE MULDER felt that the Finance Committee could narrow down and make the fiscal impact considerably smaller. He felt that the cost of shifting personnel and merging some of the duties could help lessen the impact. Number 244 REPRESENTATIVE JERRY MACKIE asked to be shown as a sponsor of HB 207. He indicated that he shared a lot of the same frustrations as discussed by Chair Foster, and also felt that the Finance Committee could do a lot of work in looking at this legislation, and the fiscal impact could be more adequately addressed there. Number 279 REPRESENTATIVE MACKIE stated that he felt HB 207 had a lot of merit and felt that the Finance Committee would be the logical place for the bill to go at this time. REPRESENTATIVE MACKIE moved that HB 207 pass from committee with individual recommendations. No objections were heard; it was so ordered. HB 61 - LOWER ALCOHOL LIMIT TO 0.08 FOR OMVI'S Number 296 CHAIR FOSTER requested REPRESENTATIVE NORDLUND, as sponsor of the next item on the agenda, HB 61, to come forward and offer any new testimony or information he would like to present to the committee. CHAIR FOSTER indicated that at the last meeting there were still a lot of questions regarding HB 61 and he felt an adequate amount of time had gone by for those interested to address their concerns and present them at this time. Number 300 REPRESENTATIVE JIM NORDLUND stated he did not have anything new. However, he mentioned there was currently a law being introduced in Congress which provided for passage of a .08 alcohol level. He referred to JUANITA HENSLEY, CHIEF OF DRIVER SERVICES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, to answer questions about the new federal .08 law proposal. MS. HENSLEY stated that in order for a state to obtain and qualify for federal safety funding money in addition to the highway funds, the .08 option was one of six requirements currently proposed. In order to comply and receive the money, the state must meet at least five of these requirements. Number 369 REPRESENTATIVE VEZEY objected to federal control and felt there gets to be a point where the state should tell the federal government to keep their money. MS. HENSLEY stated that she has been dealing with a lot of this frustration in a lot of areas lately. Number 430 CHAIR FOSTER brought up a proposed amendment which had been brought to his office by representatives of the Alaska Cabaret, Hotel, Restaurant & Retailers Association. The proposed amendment was to add a new section 5: "This Act takes effect only if the state fails to become eligible before January 1, 1995, the commissioner of public safety shall notify the revisor of statutes regarding the eligibility of the state to receive a basic grant as described in this section." Number 468 REPRESENTATIVE MULDER described the amendment, saying that basically, if we have the other five items, the proposed amendment would not be necessary in order to comply and obtain the federal funding. Number 475 REPRESENTATIVE VEZEY said that as a commercially licensed driver, he was mandated to drive at a .04 level. Number 497 REPRESENTATIVE NORDLUND said that the main thrust of HB 61 was to arrest more drunk drivers, and the capture of federal funds was secondary. Number 504 CHAIR FOSTER noted that he was neutral on the legislation and asked the committee what their will and intentions on HB 61 were. Number 507 REPRESENTATIVE MACKIE suggested that the amendment be sent with the bill to the Judiciary Committee. Number 512 REPRESENTATIVE MENARD moved for passage of HB 61 with individual recommendations. REPRESENTATIVE VEZEY objected. Upon a roll call vote, the motion failed. YEAS (3): MENARD, MACKIE, DAVIS NAYS (3): MULDER, FOSTER, VEZEY Number 520 REPRESENTATIVE NORDLUND stated that if it was the will of the committee, he would request the amendment be incorporated into a committee substitute. Number 523 REPRESENTATIVE MULDER moved the amendment into HB 61. Number 545 REPRESENTATIVE VEZEY objected. Number 550 A roll call vote of the committee passed the motion made by Representative Mulder which incorporated the proposed amendment into a committee substitute. YEAS (5): Foster, Mulder, Mackie, Davis, Menard NAYS (1): Vezey Number 550 REPRESENTATIVE MENARD moved for passage of CSHB 61(TRA) with individual recommendations. REPRESENTATIVE VEZEY objected. Upon a roll call vote, the bill was passed from committee with individual recommendations. YEAS (5): Foster, Mulder, Mackie, Davis, Menard NAYS (1): Vezey Number 565 CHAIR FOSTER adjourned the meeting at 5:50 p.m.