03/22/2012 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

         HB 180-VETERAN DESIGNATION ON DRIVER'S LICENSE                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
10:10:02 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR  WIELECHOWSKI  announced  that  the next  bill  before  the                                                               
committee would be  HB 180, which allows the  Department of Motor                                                               
Vehicles  (DMV)  to  put  veteran's  information  and  status  on                                                               
driver's licenses.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DAN SADDLER,  sponsor of  HB 180,  introduced the                                                               
bill. He read from the following sponsor statement.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     For the record, Rep. Dan Saddler, District 18.  Thank                                                                      
     you Mr. Chairman and members of the committee for                                                                          
     hearing House Bill 180.  This bill does two things:                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     First, it authorizes the Division of Motor Vehicles                                                                        
     (DMV) to designate a person's status as a veteran on a                                                                     
     state-issued driver's license or ID card - but only if                                                                     
     that person requests that designation.  That                                                                               
     designation would be the image of a U.S. flag. Having                                                                      
     proof of veteran status on a durable, convenient card                                                                      
     will help veterans to enjoy discounts offered by                                                                           
     grateful businesses                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Second, HB 180 authorizes DMV to provide the name &                                                                        
     address of a person receiving a veteran's designation                                                                      
     to the Department of Military & Veterans Affairs - but                                                                     
     again, only if that person agrees.  If he does, he'll                                                                      
     have another chance at receiving important health and                                                                      
     other benefits earned through his service                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     The bill has changed, and improved through the                                                                             
     process. Both the designation and the address-sharing                                                                      
     provisions are voluntary - while I believe the                                                                             
     benefits are clear, we made it optional, out of                                                                            
     respect for veterans' privacy and autonomy. The                                                                            
     designation is specified as the U.S. Flag - this saves                                                                     
     design costs. The cost for the cards was dropped from                                                                      
     the usual $15, down to $5 - this is a service to vets,                                                                     
     not a profit center for the state.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     If you'll look at the packet, it documents support                                                                         
     from Military and Veterans Affairs, Division of Motor                                                                      
     Vehicles, representatives of veterans groups, business                                                                     
     groups, and individual veterans.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     To sum up:  By giving Alaskans a way to carry reliable                                                                     
     and convenient proof of their veteran status, HB 180                                                                       
     will help veterans enjoy the many benefits made                                                                            
     available to them by a grateful state and nation.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
10:12:24 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR MEYER asked what benefits  veterans get with this license                                                               
or card, and if a military ID would still be required.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  explained that  the information  would be                                                               
put on the driver's license or ID  card and there would not be an                                                               
additional card issued. It would  save the veteran from having to                                                               
carry  around  a military  ID  or  file. Benefits  would  include                                                               
discounted or  free death certificates,  inclusion on  a registry                                                               
for  purposes of  veteran  information  notification, and  retail                                                               
discounts and offers.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR   WIELECHOWSKI   noted   that   a   number   of   veteran's                                                               
organizations  support  the bill.  He  maintained  that the  bill                                                               
would make it easier for veterans to prove their veteran status.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
He opened public testimony.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
RIC  DAVIDGE,  President,  Alaska Chapter,  Vietnam  Veterans  of                                                               
America,  testified  in  support  of   HB  180.  He  related  his                                                               
experience  with  new  information regarding  exposure  to  Agent                                                               
Orange  and  other elements.  There  are  delayed symptoms  as  a                                                               
result  of exposure  to these  elements. Knowing  the information                                                               
about a  veteran's service can  vastly assist  with communicating                                                               
information about possible exposure  during their service. HB 180                                                               
allows for  improved communication between veterans  and DMV. The                                                               
bill  has been  approved in  23  other states.  It would  provide                                                               
veterans  with  a uniform  ID  and  enable  the state  to  notify                                                               
veterans as new medical information becomes available.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI thanked Mr. Davidge for his hard work.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
10:17:01 AM                                                                                                                   
MERCEDES  ANGERMAN,  Program  Coordinator,  Office  of  Veteran's                                                               
Affairs, Department  of Military and Veterans  Affairs, testified                                                               
in support of  HB 180. She said that another  advantage of having                                                               
the veteran designation on the  driver's license was in order for                                                               
emergency responders  and law enforcement officials  to recognize                                                               
veterans during emergencies.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  WIELECHOWSKI  asked  if the  administration  supports  the                                                               
bill.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS. ANGERMAN  said the  Office of  Veterans Affairs  supports the                                                               
bill.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
10:19:04 AM                                                                                                                   
WHITNEY   BREWSTER,  Director,   Division   of  Motor   Vehicles,                                                               
Department of Administration, provided  information related to HB
. She explained what the flag  would look like on the license.                                                               
She related  that DMV would include  the name and address  of the                                                               
card  holder, as  well as  "veteran" on  the license  for further                                                               
recognition.  She said  there  could  be a  charge  of  $5 for  a                                                               
replacement fee  and $15 at the  time of expiration to  renew the                                                               
card.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
10:21:19 AM                                                                                                                   
CHAIR  WIELECHOWSKI  asked what  the  cost  of replacing  a  lost                                                               
license would be.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MS. BREWSTER said $15.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI asked how much it  would cost to replace a new                                                               
veteran's card.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. BREWSTER said $5.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  WIELECHOWSKI asked  where  in the  bill  the authority  to                                                               
designate "veteran"  was. He  wondered if  additional legislative                                                               
authority was needed.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS.  BREWSTER thought  it could  be handled  in regulations.  She                                                               
anticipated working with MVA.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  WIELECHOWSKI  asked  if the  legislature  needed  to  give                                                               
authority to do so.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MS. BREWSTER replied  that DMV has broad authority  when it comes                                                               
to promulgating regulations for driver licensing.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
10:23:26 AM                                                                                                                   
JOSEPH  FIELDS, III,  Chair,  Alaska  Veterans Advisory  Council,                                                               
testified in  support of HB  180. He  drew attention to  the word                                                               
"or" on line  3 of the bill  and asked if it should  be "and". He                                                               
suggested  "veteran" should  be on  both cards.  He spoke  of the                                                               
advantages of having veteran identification.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KOOKESH thanked  Mr. Fields for talking  about having the                                                               
designation on both  the identification card and  the license. He                                                               
shared a  personal story  about an  uncle who  was a  veteran and                                                               
lived  to be  102,  and  because he  could  no  longer drive,  he                                                               
required another ID that showed his veteran status.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
TIM ARMSTRONG,  Chief of Staff,  Department of Military  Order of                                                               
the Purple Heart, testified in support  of HB 180. He said he was                                                               
encouraged  by the  fact that  obtaining  the identification  was                                                               
voluntary in  nature. He  spoke of the  advantages of  having the                                                               
designation on  a driver's license  or identification  card, such                                                               
as recognition of veterans by  law enforcement and the ability of                                                               
family to receive documentation for a burial flag.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
10:30:39 AM                                                                                                                   
SENATOR KOOKESH asked  if the state ID card would  be included in                                                               
the bill.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER said that would be covered.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KOOKESH questioned the wording "or".                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI  said the  language could  be checked  to make                                                               
sure it gives a person the option of having both forms of ID.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR WIELECHOWSKI stated he would hold HB 180 in committee.