03/24/2006 01:30 PM House FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 266                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     An Act relating to offenses  and penalties for violation                                                                   
     of vehicle weight limitations;  prohibiting the use of a                                                                   
     violation  of a  vehicle weight  limitation for  certain                                                                   
     personal  automobile  insurance actions;  amending  Rule                                                                   
     43.6, Alaska Rules of Administration;  and providing for                                                                   
     an effective date.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Meyer overviewed briefly the history of the bill.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JIM ELKINS,  SPONSOR,  introduced his  staff,                                                                   
Jennifer  Baxter.   He commented  on the  bill's process  and                                                                   
said he supports the version before the Committee.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Weyhrauch  indicated  his gratitude  for  the                                                                   
introduction of the legislation.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:50:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Meyer inquired  if Department  of Transportation  &                                                                   
Public Facilities supports the bill.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
JOHN    MACKINNON,    DEPUTY    DIRECTOR,    DEPARTMENT    OF                                                                   
TRANSPORTATION  AND   PUBLIC  FACILITIES,  stated   that  the                                                                   
Department does support the bill.   He stated they had worked                                                                   
with  the trucking  industry and  have  reached an  agreement                                                                   
providing  an increase  to  the fine  structure,  as well  as                                                                   
enforceability.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:51:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice Chair Stoltze  made comments regarding  the availability                                                                   
of scales in the Chugiak area.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
AVES  THOMPSON,  (TESTIFIED  VIA  TELECONFERENCE),  DIRECTOR,                                                                   
COMMERCIAL  VEHICLE   ENFORCEMENT  DIVISION,   DEPARTMENT  OF                                                                   
TRANSPORTATION & PUBLIC FACILITIES,  ANCHORAGE, replied there                                                                   
are not scales  at all area pits but there are  at the larger                                                                   
ones.   The Department  is working to  develop a  strategy to                                                                   
address  vehicles  that  are operating  within  the  accepted                                                                   
weight  limits.    Vice Chair  Stoltze  voiced  concern  with                                                                   
better compliance.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Meyer  noted  the  differences  between  the  House                                                                   
Transportation   Committee  (HTC)   and  the  House   Finance                                                                   
Committee  (HFC)  version,  pointing  out that  the  HFC  one                                                                   
addresses  the violation  practice.   He asked  why that  was                                                                   
necessary since the Department  has the authority to go after                                                                   
multiple offenders.   Mr.  Thompson agreed, acknowledging  he                                                                   
supports the House Finance Committee version.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Representative Foster MOVED to  REPORT CS HB 266 (FIN) out of                                                                   
Committee  with  individual  recommendations   and  with  the                                                                   
accompanying fiscal notes.  There  being NO OBJECTION, it was                                                                   
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CS HB  266 (FIN)  was reported  out of  Committee with  a "no                                                                   
recommendation" and  with zero note  #4 by the  Department of                                                                   
Commerce, Community  & Economic Development, zero  note #5 by                                                                   
the  Department of  Transportation  & Public  Facilities  and                                                                   
indeterminate note #6 by the Department of Law.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
At EASE:       1:55:04 PM                                                                                                     
RECONVENE:     1:57:33 PM