05/02/2001 05:17 PM Senate JUD

                HB 102-THEFT OF PROPELLED VEHICLES                                                                          
                                                                                                                              
Number 2214                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PETE  KOTT, bill  sponsor,  introduced  the bill  as                                                            
legislation  that focuses on  the crime of  vehicle theft and  equal                                                            
penalties associated  with the taking of propelled  vehicles without                                                            
the owners' permission.  Stealing watercraft such as skidoos and jet                                                            
skis would  be excluded  from the  felony prosecution  category  and                                                            
would instead be prosecuted at the misdemeanor level.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  TAYLOR asked  whether any  of the  safety or registration                                                             
requirements for a boat of that size had been changed.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KOTT said they had not been changed.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT  observed that  three and four wheel all  terrain                                                            
vehicles were added.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KOTT responded  that  he would explain  that in  the                                                            
Section 2 discussion.  Section 1 deals  with watercraft and  removes                                                            
skidoo and  jet ski theft  from automatic  prosecution as a  class C                                                            
felony.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT  asked if the reason  that these watercraft  were                                                            
removed from the  automatic felony prosecution category  was because                                                            
they are primarily  used for recreational purposes  instead of being                                                            
used as modes of transportation for employment.                                                                                 
REPRESENTATIVE  KOTT agreed and added that they are  not licensed by                                                            
the State either.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Additionally,  if damage amounts are $1,000.00 or  more or the owner                                                            
of record  incurs reasonable  expenses of $1,000.00  or more  or the                                                            
owner is deprived  of the use of the vehicle for seven  days or more                                                            
then the crime will be prosecuted as a class C felony.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN TAYLOR  called for additional  testimony and observed  that                                                            
with zero  fiscal notes from  both the Alaska  Court System  and the                                                            
Department of  Corrections it was unlikely that there  would be many                                                            
prosecutions.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
He asked for the pleasure of the committee.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COWDERY moved CSHB 210(JUD) from committee with                                                                         
individual recommendations.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
There being no objection, CSHB 102(JUD) and accompanying fiscal                                                                 
notes moved from committee with individual recommendations.