03/11/2009 01:30 PM House FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 116                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to Iditarod finisher special request                                                                      
     license plates."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
JAMES  ELLIS, STAFF,  REPRESENTATIVE  MARK NEUMAN,  explained                                                                   
that the  bill authorizes  the Department  of Motor  Vehicles                                                                   
(DMV) to  design and  issue commemorative  license plates  to                                                                   
honor the  accomplishments  of those who  have completed  the                                                                   
Iditarod  Sled  Dog Race.    It costs  $50  per  plate.   The                                                                   
process  is  that DMV  will  verify  with the  Iditarod  Race                                                                   
Committee that an  individual has completed the  race.  There                                                                   
is a zero  fiscal note.   All vehicles displaying  the plates                                                                   
must be  registered in Alaska.   Over 600 have  completed the                                                                   
race and some are currently completing it.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:37:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative    Fairclough   asked    if   past    Iditarod                                                                   
participants  would qualify  for the  special plates  if they                                                                   
are currently  residing in  Alaska and  have a motor  vehicle                                                                   
registered in Alaska.   Mr. Ellis said that was  correct.  He                                                                   
said  a  person  who  resides  outside  of  Alaska,  but  who                                                                   
registers an Alaskan vehicle would also be eligible.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Fairclough asked  if  the Iditarod  Committee                                                                   
would provide  a list  of qualified applicants  to DMV.   Mr.                                                                   
Ellis did not know.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:39:04 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
WHITNEY  BREWSTER,  DIRECTOR,  DIVISION  OF  MOTOR  VEHICLES,                                                                   
DEPARTMENT  OF  ADMINISTRATION,  described  how  the  process                                                                   
would  work.   The  bill indicates  that  the finisher  would                                                                   
provide  DMV with  written  proof  verified by  the  Iditarod                                                                   
Trail Committee as to their eligibility.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stoltze  imagined that  it would be a  self-policing                                                                   
situation.   Communities  would recognize  an imposter.   Mr.                                                                   
Ellis agreed.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:40:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Austerman  asked if  only  Alaskan-registered                                                                   
vehicles would qualify.  Mr. Ellis said that was correct.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Fairclough  shared her  experience  searching                                                                   
the  Iditarod  website  for  data   to  determine  who  would                                                                   
qualify.   She  suggested  a  standardized form  to  identify                                                                   
qualifiers.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stoltze  commented  that  the  Committee  would  be                                                                   
hearing the bill one more time.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative Joule  asked if a handout in  members' packets                                                                   
was a sample of  the license plate.  Mr. Ellis  remarked that                                                                   
it was  only a  proposal.  Representative  Joule wondered  if                                                                   
the dog depicted was an actual  Iditarod finisher.  Mr. Ellis                                                                   
said it was.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HB  116  was   heard  and  HELD  in  Committee   for  further                                                                   
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:43:19 PM