02/25/2020 10:15 AM House ENERGY

        HB 37-EXEMPTION: CONTRACTORS, ELECTRICAL ADMIN.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
10:19:18 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HOPKINS  announced that  the first  order of business  would                                                              
be  HOUSE BILL  NO.  37, "An  Act  exempting  certain low  voltage                                                              
projects    from   contractor    and   electrical    administrator                                                              
requirements."                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
10:20:05 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DAVE  TALERICO, Alaska State Legislature,  as prime                                                              
sponsor  of  HB   37,  paraphrased  from  the   Sponsor  Statement                                                              
[included in  members' packets],  which read as follows  [original                                                              
punctuation provided]:                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     An  Act   relating  to  an  exemption   for  low-voltage                                                                   
     projects from  contractor requirements; and  relating to                                                                   
     an exemption from electrical administrator requirement                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     HB  37  removes  barriers  that  make  installations  of                                                                   
     satellite  and   high-speed  internet  capabilities   in                                                                   
     Alaska very  costly or impractical, especially  in rural                                                                   
     areas.  Internet is  extremely slow  in most of  Alaska.                                                                   
     This  bill adds  one  more avenue  for  Alaskans to  get                                                                   
     faster  reliable internet  via satellite  installations.                                                                   
     Currently low  voltage internet satellite  installers in                                                                   
     Alaska    are   required    to   have   an    electrical                                                                   
     administrator  oversee their  work (yet  they know  very                                                                   
     little about)  due to old  regulations created  prior to                                                                   
     satellite  internet  installers.   This  is  prohibiting                                                                   
     cost  effective  satellite   internet  installations  in                                                                   
     rural  Alaska and  thus this  bill exempts  them as  low                                                                   
     voltage   installers  from   electrical   administrative                                                                   
     oversite.  HB 37 also  adds an  exemption to allow  only                                                                   
     low  voltage contractors  performing work  on a  project                                                                   
     under  $10,000  to  do  so   without  being  a  licensed                                                                   
     general   contractor,   thus   making   small   internet                                                                   
     projects  in  rural  Alaska   financially  possible  and                                                                   
     reasonable.  I  urge  your   support  on  removing  this                                                                   
     barrier thus enabling high speed internet options.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
10:23:06 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HOPKINS asked what qualified as low voltage.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  TALERICO,  in response,  explained  that, as  this                                                              
was 56  volts or  less, it  was less than  regular house  current.                                                              
He added that  the voltage through the coaxial  cable for internet                                                              
was 2  volts or  less, which  was connected  to residential  power                                                              
via a UL listed receiver plugged into a wall outlet.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
10:23:56 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   FIELDS  asked   whether   the  installation   was                                                              
currently performed by licensed electricians.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  TALERICO  answered that  the  requirement was  for                                                              
review  and approval  by an  electrical administrator.   He  added                                                              
that his  desire was  to lower  the actual  installation cost  and                                                              
make it more  available, as the  cost for an installer  to visit a                                                              
remote location was often cost prohibitive.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS  asked for clarification that,  as currently                                                              
there was  not a requirement  for a  licensed electrician,  but it                                                              
was necessary  for the follow  up by an electrical  administrator,                                                              
the  proposed  bill would  obviate  the  need for  the  electrical                                                              
administrator.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO responded that was correct.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
10:25:01 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ  asked about the job requirements  for an                                                              
electrical administrator.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO  shared that he  was "sure that  they have                                                              
to have a certification  through the State of Alaska"  and "to the                                                              
best of my knowledge, there's a licensing requirement."                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SPOHNHOLZ  asked whether the  licensing requirement                                                              
was separate and distinct from that required for an electrician.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  TALERICO  offered his  belief  that the  licensing                                                              
requirement was separate.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
10:25:51 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PRUITT  asked whether  the  installation  required                                                              
more positioning  and plugging in,  as opposed to any  hard wiring                                                              
requiring electrical expertise.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  TALERICO, in  response,  expressed his  agreement,                                                              
and  shared  a  personal  anecdote  for  connecting  his  personal                                                              
satellite dish.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
10:28:36 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SPOHNHOLZ asked  for the  definition of a  coaxial                                                              
cable.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  TALERICO, in  response, explained  that the  cable                                                              
was a  heavily insulated, jacketed,  small cable that  carried the                                                              
satellite  signal from  the "thing  that grabs  the signal  out in                                                              
front  of  the dish"  "all  the  way  into  the home  and  to  the                                                              
receiver."  He described it as the "signal transmitter."                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
10:29:27 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PRAX explained  that this  cable was low  voltage,                                                              
was only sending signals, and did not create a safety hazard.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
10:30:35 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HOPKINS announced that HB 37 was held over.