03/18/2025 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

        HB  26-STATEWIDE PUBLIC & COMMUNITY TRANSIT PLAN                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:09:50 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MEARS  announced that the  next order of  business would                                                               
be  HOUSE BILL  NO. 26,  "An Act  relating to  the duties  of the                                                               
Department of Transportation and  Public Facilities; and relating                                                               
to a statewide public and community transit plan."                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:10:20 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GENEVIEVE  MINA,  Alaska  State  Legislature,  as                                                               
prime sponsor, gave  a recap of HB  26.  She said  the bill seeks                                                               
to   modernize  the   Department  of   Transportation  &   Public                                                               
Facilities' (DOT&PF) duties  to reflect the needs  of Alaskans by                                                               
broadening their  study of  transportation options  and improving                                                               
their public  engagement process to specifically  focus on public                                                               
transit.   It would  help the department  be more  multi-modal in                                                               
their planning efforts.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:11:00 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HOLLAND  asked  whether there  had  been  further                                                               
discussion  about  the  Alaska  Marine  Highway  System's  (AMHS)                                                               
infrastructure and its connection to the bill.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MINA reminded  the committee  that AMHS  is in  a                                                               
different section  of statute; nonetheless, she  acknowledged its                                                               
importance to the state.  She deferred the question to Mr. Hope.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:12:52 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
GERRY  HOPE,  Government  Relations   Director,  Sitka  Tribe  of                                                               
Alaska, shared  his understanding that  AMHS is included,  as the                                                               
bill  makes  reference to  state  highways,  vessels, docks,  and                                                               
floats, for example [in paragraph  (7)], and "public, tribal, and                                                               
community  transit programs"  [in paragraph  (1)].   He said  the                                                               
bill would  give tribal  and public transit  operators a  seat at                                                               
the table.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:15:51 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MEARS opened public testimony on HB 26.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:16:29 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KIM   CHAMPNEY,  Executive   Director,   Alaska  Association   on                                                               
Developmental Disabilities, testified  in support of HB  26.  She                                                               
said  the bill  would enhance  statewide transportation  planning                                                               
and  provide an  innovative  transportation  solution for  people                                                               
with disabilities to increase their  independence and allow human                                                               
service  providers to  focus on  more complex  needs.   She added                                                               
that expanded independence  would sustain the system  with a more                                                               
effective use of resources.  She shared a personal anecdote.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:19:04 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MILLIE RYAN,  President, Alaska Mobility Coalition,  testified in                                                               
support for HB 26.  She  reminded the committee that driving is a                                                               
privilege  that's  often  taken   for  granted.    She  expressed                                                               
excitement for the planning aspect  of the bill, which would make                                                               
better  use  of  available  resources,   and  advocated  for  the                                                               
inclusion  of   community  transportation  and  transit   in  the                                                               
planning process.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:20:29 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PATRICK  REINHART,  Executive  Director,  Governor's  Council  on                                                               
Disabilities  & Special  Education, testified  in support  HB 26.                                                               
He said many of the people  he works with are dependent on others                                                               
for  rides, and  the  bill  would prompt  the  state to  consider                                                               
different modes of transportation.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:21:32 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. HOPE reiterated his support for the bill.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
8:22:02 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MICHELE  GIRAULT, Executive  Director, Hope  Community Resources;                                                               
Board President,  Key Coalition, testified  in support of  HB 26.                                                               
She said  access to transportation  was named  as one of  the top                                                               
three  barriers  for people  with  disabilities.   She  expressed                                                               
support for  anything that  innovates transportation  and expands                                                               
access  to jobs,  community, friends,  and  family, and  provides                                                               
access to transportation as the population ages.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:22:58 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BRIDGER REED-LEWIS,  representing self,  testified in  support of                                                               
HB  26.   He shared  that  as someone  with a  disability, he  is                                                               
unable  to drive  and  had to  move to  Anchorage  for access  to                                                               
paratransit services.   He advocated  for the expansion  of these                                                               
services and  spoke to the  efficacy of  the U-Pass program.   He                                                               
suggested  amending the  bill  to offer  two  roundtrip rides  to                                                               
stores  for those  on food  stamps and  the Special  Supplemental                                                               
Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MEARS closed public testimony on HB 26.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:26:03 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MEARS  closed public  testimony on  HB 26  and announced                                                               
that the bill would be held over.