04/17/2018 01:30 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION

  HB 82-OFF HIGHWAY DRIVER'S LICENSE; REGISTRATION; INSURANCE                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:33:59 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR STEDMAN  announced the consideration of  [CSHB 82 (STA)AM];                                                               
"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."  He noted  the  bill was  previously  heard and  that                                                               
there were  possible amendments. He  asked the sponsor  to review                                                               
the bill for the committee.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:34:38 PM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE    JONATHAN     KREISS-TOMKINS,    Alaska    State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau,  Alaska, sponsor of  HB 82, stated  that the                                                               
bill  clarifies the  eligibility criteria  for the  long-standing                                                               
off-highway   drivers   program.   He   explained  that   several                                                               
communities that  had been eligible  for the program  for several                                                               
decades  became ineligible  because of  a new  Division of  Motor                                                               
Vehicles interpretation  of eligibility. When he  looked into the                                                               
matter,  he  saw  the  opportunity to  tighten  and  clarify  the                                                               
eligibility criteria.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  STEDMAN  asked  Senator  Wilson   if  he  had  a  proposed                                                               
amendment.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:35:54 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  WILSON   moved  to  adopt   Amendment  1,   labeled  30-                                                               
LS0367\J.A.2.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                                               30-LS0367\J.A.2                                                                  
                                                       Martin                                                                   
                                                       3/5/18                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
                          AMENDMENT 1                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     OFFERED IN THE SENATE                    BY SENATOR WILSON                                                                 
          TO:  CSHB 82(STA) am                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Page 5, lines 1 - 18:                                                                                                      
          Delete all material.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page 5, line 29:                                                                                                           
          Delete all material and insert:                                                                                       
        "* Sec. 7. AS 28.22.011(a)(1) and 28.22.011(b) are                                                                  
     repealed."                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:36:18 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR STEDMAN objected for discussion  purposes and asked Senator                                                               
Wilson what the amendment does.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR WILSON explained that the  purpose of the amendment is to                                                               
require  off-road  motorists  to  carry  vehicle  insurance.  The                                                               
intent is  to make sure  that assessments of property  damage are                                                               
levied  equally  and  that  all lives  are  valued  equally.  The                                                               
amendment simply requires vehicles to  be insured. He pointed out                                                               
that  anyone  can insure  a  vehicle  they  drive, not  just  the                                                               
registered  owner.  He  also highlighted  that  coverage  can  be                                                               
obtained remotely.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  EGAN asked  how  remotely   would be  applied under  the                                                               
amendment.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  WILSON explained  that the  amendment would  require the                                                               
294  off-highway communities  the  sponsor  identified to  comply                                                               
with the  same insurance coverage requirements  for motor vehicle                                                               
as communities on the road system.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  EGAN asked  if the  idea  is that  someone who  is in  a                                                               
community that does not have an insurance agent could...                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  WILSON interjected,   They  could call  any provider  of                                                               
their choice, statewide, to be covered through insurance.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR STEDMAN asked the bill sponsor to comment.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:39:55 PM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE  KREISS-TOMKINS  said   he  opposed  the  proposed                                                               
amendment,  primarily because  it goes  beyond the  scope of  the                                                               
bill. He  reiterated that the  bill seeks to clarify  and tighten                                                               
the eligibility  criteria for  the off-highway  drivers  program.                                                               
Whether  insurance is  required  to operate  a  motor vehicle  in                                                               
villages in Alaska, is a long-standing but separate question.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:40:34 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  STEDMAN   removed  his   objection.  Finding   no  further                                                               
objection, he  announced that Amendment  1 was adopted.  He asked                                                               
the sponsor to comment.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KREISS-TOMKINS restated  the  explanation of  the                                                               
purpose of  the bill that he  provided earlier. He said  the bill                                                               
is a  product of discussions  with DMV regarding  the off-highway                                                               
drivers  program. Amendment  1 changes it to  require everyone in                                                               
all villages in Alaska to carry vehicle insurance.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR STEDMAN asked if he continues to support the bill.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:41:56 PM                                                                                                                    
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS replied  he supports the underlying                                                               
bill but  has concerns  with the amendment.  He opined  that most                                                               
legislators  from   rural  Alaska   would  likely   have  similar                                                               
concerns.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:42:16 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR STEDMAN found  no further questions and  announced he would                                                               
hold HB 82 in committee.