ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE  March 30, 2017 1:07 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Adam Wool, Co-Chair Representative Matt Claman Representative Harriet Drummond Representative Chuck Kopp Representative Mark Neuman Representative Colleen Sullivan-Leonard MEMBERS ABSENT  Representative Louise Stutes, Co-Chair Representative David Eastman (alternate) Representative Gabrielle LeDoux (alternate) COMMITTEE CALENDAR  HOUSE BILL NO. 82 "An Act relating to vehicle registration; relating to off-road system restricted noncommercial drivers' licenses; relating to off-highway commercial drivers' licenses; relating to off-road system eligible areas; and relating to motor vehicle liability insurance." - MOVED CSHB 82(STA) OUT OF COMMITTEE PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: HB 82 SHORT TITLE: RESTRICTED OFF HWY DRIVER'S LICENSE SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) KREISS-TOMKINS 01/25/17 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 01/25/17 (H) STA, TRA 02/02/17 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 02/02/17 (H) Scheduled but Not Heard 02/23/17 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 02/23/17 (H) 02/28/17 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 02/28/17 (H) Heard & Held 02/28/17 (H) MINUTE(STA) 03/09/17 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 03/09/17 (H) Heard & Held 03/09/17 (H) MINUTE(STA) 03/14/17 (H) STA AT 3:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 03/14/17 (H) Moved CSHB 82(STA) Out of Committee 03/14/17 (H) MINUTE(STA) 03/20/17 (H) STA RPT CS(STA) NT 3DP 2NR 03/20/17 (H) DP: KNOPP, TUCK, KREISS-TOMKINS 03/20/17 (H) NR: WOOL, LEDOUX 03/28/17 (H) TRA AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124 03/28/17 (H) Heard & Held 03/28/17 (H) MINUTE(TRA) 03/30/17 (H) TRA AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124 WITNESS REGISTER REPRESENTATIVE JONATHAN KREISS-TOMKINS Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified as the sponsor of HB 82. BERETT WILBER, Staff Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: During the hearing on HB 82, provided follow-up to previously asked questions. KATHY WASSERMAN, Executive Director Alaska Municipal League (AML) Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: During the hearing on HB 82, provided answers to questions. ACTION NARRATIVE 1:06:54 PM CO-CHAIR ADAM WOOL called the House Transportation Standing Committee meeting to order at 1:07 p.m. Representatives Wool, Claman, Drummond, Kopp, Neuman, and Sullivan-Leonard were present at the call to order. HB 82-RESTRICTED OFF HWY DRIVER'S LICENSE  1:07:31 PM CO-CHAIR WOOL announced that the only order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 82, "An Act relating to vehicle registration; relating to off-road system restricted noncommercial drivers' licenses; relating to off-highway commercial drivers' licenses; relating to off-road system eligible areas; and relating to motor vehicle liability insurance." 1:07:58 PM REPRESENTATIVE JONATHAN KREISS-TOMKINS, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor of HB 82, said that he would be speaking today regarding questions from a previous hearing [on 3/28/17]. He shared that the first response was to a question from Representative Sullivan-Leonard to Alaska Municipal League (AML) [asking if there were] any outstanding questions or concerns from any off-highway communities. He said that the short answer to that question is no. 1:08:44 PM BERETT WILBER, Staff, Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Kreiss- Tomkins, prime sponsor of HB 82, stated that at the request of Representative Neuman, she followed up with the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to make sure there was no history of safety complaints from off-highway qualifying communities. She said that she also followed up on a question Representative Kopp asked about communities that were large in size but were also off the state road system. She noted that she provided each member a sheet that has a list of the follow up questions and responses [included in committee packet]. 1:09:49 PM CO-CHAIR WOOL asked Ms. Wilber to share the questions. He offered his understanding that Representative Kopp's question was regarding on-road communities that may qualify due to their traffic counts. 1:10:09 PM REPRESENTATIVE KOPP said that he wondered how the proposed bill would affect the larger off-road system communities and those that have big surges of vehicles. He said that the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) actually looked at those communities and the particular one he was thinking of has a DMV office, so in that instance drivers are required to register vehicles and have regular drivers licenses. He said that only four communities would be added under the proposed bill: Seldovia, Kake, Angoon, and Hydaburg. 1:11:04 PM REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN complimented Representative Kreiss-Tomkins and his staff for the use of the follow-up question hand-out. CO-CHAIR WOOL said that Ms. Wasserman is available for questions but in response to Representative Kopp's question, just as Representative Kreiss-Tomkins said, AML's response was no. 1:11:45 PM KATHY WASSERMAN, Executive Director, Alaska Municipal League (AML), said that HB 82 would be a tool to allow communities to more easily take care of their citizens. She claimed personal knowledge of the issue from growing up in a small off-highway community herself. She said unless small communities have a Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO) there is no real enforcement. She opined that it seems silly to have rules in the books if they can't be enforced. She shared that it is very expensive to get in and out of small, remote communities. 1:12:57 PM REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN asked Ms. Wasserman about what smaller communities do when there is a dangerous driver in the community who possibly damages people or property. He inquired whether the community could call in a VPSO or an Alaska State Trooper to address the hazardous driver. MS. WASSERMAN responded that especially if there is property damage, a community can call in a trooper. REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN said that he was just curious how the aforementioned situation would be handled. MS. WASSERMAN shared her personal experience living in Pelican, Alaska where there were a few lousy drivers. She explained that in the small, off-highway communities there usually isn't that much roadway to get in to too much trouble. She added that everyone knows everyone and people just don't go around speeding down the road. REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN offered his understanding that smaller communities tend to take care of themselves. 1:14:39 PM CO-CHAIR WOOL said that the off-highway system has been around for quite a while and there have appeared to be few issues. 1:15:00 PM REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND moved to report HB 82 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 82(STA) was reported from the House Transportation Standing Committee. 1:15:55 PM ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House Transportation Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 1:16 p.m.