Legislature(2023 - 2024)BARNES 124

03/14/2023 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

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Audio Topic
08:05:10 AM Start
08:06:08 AM Confirmation Hearing(s)|| Regulatory Commission of Alaska
08:23:28 AM HB78
09:02:57 AM HB30
09:21:29 AM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
-- Testimony <Invitation Only> --
+ Consideration of Governor's Appointees: Robert TELECONFERENCED
Doyle, Regulatory Commission of Alaska
*+ HB 78 AK COMMUNITY HEALTH AIDE APPRECIATION DAY TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
*+ HB 30 OBSERVE DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ALL YEAR TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
          HB  30-OBSERVE DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ALL YEAR                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:02:57 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCORMICK announced that the  final order of business would                                                               
be HOUSE BILL  NO. 30, "An Act relating to  daylight saving time;                                                               
and providing for an effective date."                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:03:17 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DAN ORTIZ,  Alaska  State  Legislature, as  prime                                                               
sponsor,  presented  HB 30.    He  began  by explaining  that  if                                                               
enacted, HB 30 would establish  Daylight Saving Time (DST) as the                                                               
official year-round  time for Alaska.   It is  currently observed                                                               
between  the second  Sunday  in  March and  the  first Sunday  of                                                               
November.   He explained  the benefits of  staying in  DST, which                                                               
include increased physical activity,  a decrease in robberies, an                                                               
increase  in  economic spending,  and  a  decrease in  fatal  car                                                               
crashes.   He stated  that included in  the committee  packet are                                                               
supporting  documents and  public support.   He  referred to  the                                                               
sponsor statement [copy included  in the committee packet], which                                                               
read as follows [original punctuation provided]:                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     House Bill  30 establishes  Daylight Saving  Time (DST)                                                                    
     as  the official  time for  the State  of Alaska  year-                                                                    
     round, subject to the authorization of federal law.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     DST is observed between the  second Sunday of March and                                                                    
     the  first   Sunday  of  November.  Adoption   of  this                                                                    
     legislation is  the first step. To  fully implement the                                                                    
     change to  full-time DST, action  by the  United States                                                                    
     Congress  is  required.  Congress will  need  to  amend                                                                    
     federal law  to allow states to  observe DST throughout                                                                    
     the calendar year.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Nationally, the  initiative to change to  full-time DST                                                                    
     is gaining traction.  As of March 2022,  18 states have                                                                    
     enacted DST  legislation. In 2022 alone,  28 states are                                                                    
     considering  DST   legislation.  On  the   west  coast,                                                                    
     California   voters  authorized   the  change   pending                                                                    
     legislation  and in  2019, both  Washington and  Oregon                                                                    
     passed  legislation  similar   to  HB30.  Our  Canadian                                                                    
     neighbors have  also taken steps  to move  to full-time                                                                    
     DST. British  Columbia passed legislation  to implement                                                                    
     full-time DST  contingent on the  U.S. west  coast also                                                                    
     implementing it. Yukon began  full-time DST on March 8,                                                                    
     2020.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Because of  our close  economic and geographic  ties to                                                                    
     the  U.S. and  Canadian west  coasts, Alaska  can avoid                                                                    
     being 'left in the dark' by passing HB30.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:07:12 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ORTIZ  acknowledged that  a permanent move  to DST                                                               
could create  some concern, particularly  in the western  part of                                                               
the  state, as  it already  has a  late sunrise.   He  noted that                                                               
support has  been received from  Anchorage and  Southeast Alaska.                                                               
He thanked the committee and welcomed any questions.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:08:25 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   MCCABE  referenced   electronic  devices   which                                                               
automatically change for DST.   He questioned whether they can be                                                               
reprogrammed.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ORTIZ  expressed uncertainty  but would  follow up                                                               
to the committee.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCORMICK expressed the understanding  that the devices can                                                               
be reset with an Internet connection.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ORTIZ  agreed with Chair McCormick.   He continued                                                               
to explain HB 30 is not  about a preference between standard time                                                               
versus  DST, rather  he expressed  concern  if [Pacific  Standard                                                               
Time]  changes.   He expressed  the opinion  that this  would put                                                               
Alaska out of synch.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:11:59 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MCCABE   referenced  support  for   the  Sunshine                                                               
Protection  Act in  the  U.S. Congress.    He questioned  whether                                                               
there  would be  a  companion resolution  from  the Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature to encourage the U.S. Congress to pass this.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ORTIZ expressed interest in the possibility.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:12:54 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MEARS  reflected on  time changes over  the years.                                                               
She acknowledged the vastness of  the state and expressed concern                                                               
about how  the time change would  affect the western part  of the                                                               
state.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE, in  reference to Representative Mears's                                                               
comments, questioned returning to some  sort of split in the time                                                               
zone for the western part of the state.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CAROLINE  HAMP, Staff,  Representative  Dan  Ortiz, Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature,  replied that  it is  ultimately a  federal decision                                                               
for a state to have multiple time zones.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:17:14 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCORMICK questioned the original  purpose of DST and asked                                                               
if it was to benefit farmers.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS. HAMP replied  that originally DST was a measure  to help with                                                               
light  and the  ability to  do day-to-day  tasks without  burning                                                               
candles or using  electricity.  The time change,  she stated, was                                                               
never supported by farmers and is not to this day.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MCCORMICK asked  if  energy  consumption increases  during                                                               
DST.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS. HAMP referred  to a study which shows  very little difference                                                               
in energy cost and consumption.   She offered to follow up with a                                                               
copy of the study to the committee.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:19:22 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCCORMICK announced that HB 30 was held over.                                                                             

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB030 Bill Hearing Request CRA 1.25.23.pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 30
HB030 Research - 1. Activity by IJBNPA 2014 (002).pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 30
HB030 Research - 2. Crime by RES 2015 (002).pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 30
HB030 Research - 3. Economy by JPM 2016 (002).pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 30
HB030 Research - 4. Vehicle Crashes by AJPH 1995 (002).pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 30
HB030 Research Index (002).pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 30
HB030 Sectional Analysis ver A 1.25.23 (002).pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 30
HB030 Sponsor Statement ver A 1.25.23 (002).pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 30
HB030 Testimony 1.25.23 (002).pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 30
HB030 Version A 1.25.23 (002).pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 30
HB78 ANTHC Letter of Support.pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 78
HB78 Hearing Request.pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 78
HB78 Powerpoint Presentation.pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 78
HB78 Sectional Analysis.pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 78
HB78 Sponsor Statement.pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 78
Robert Doyle Reg Comm App Redacted.pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
Robert Doyle Reg Comm Resume Redacted.pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 30 LAW Fiscal Note 3.9.23.pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 30
HB 78 Zero Fiscal Note 3.9.23.pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 78
HB 30 Letter of Opposition.pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 30
HB 30 Letters of Support.pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 30
HB 30 Additional Letters of Opposition.pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 30
HB030 Research - 5. Electricity by US DOE 2008.pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 30
HB030 Research Index.pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 30
HB 78 Hearing Testimony ACalhoun_ykhc_3.14.23.pdf HCRA 3/14/2023 8:00:00 AM
HB 78