03/20/2012 01:00 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION

                                                                                                                                
          HB 271-COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:11:11 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR KOOKESH announced the consideration of CSHB 271(TRA)am.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  WES  KELLER, sponsor  of  HB  271 introduced  the                                                               
bill.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:12:11 PM                                                                                                                    
JIM POUND, staff,  Representative Wes Keller, sponsor  of HB 271,                                                               
explained the  bill. He said HB  271 will make doing  business in                                                               
Alaska  a little  bit  less costly.  Transportation  of goods  in                                                               
pickup  trucks or  small step  vans is  classified as  commercial                                                               
transport today, and  HB 271 proposes to change  that by changing                                                               
vehicle weight restrictions from  10,000 pounds to 14,000 pounds.                                                               
Trucks  were smaller  when the  legislation  first originated  in                                                               
1999.  He gave  an example  of an  on-site welding  business that                                                               
carries the  welder in the back  of the truck and  is required to                                                               
have a  commercial registration.  The costs associated  with that                                                               
are  for a  commercial  driver's  license, additional  insurance,                                                               
registration  fees,  and  a  medical  examination.  Changing  the                                                               
language from  10,000 pounds to  14,000 pounds makes  the average                                                               
one-ton  pickup non-commercial.  The same  rule applies  to pilot                                                               
vehicles.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:13:56 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MENARD asked if there was any opposition to the bill.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. POUND  said no. The  Department of Transportation  and Public                                                               
Facilities  and  the  Alaska  Truckers  Association  have  worked                                                               
together on the bill to ensure that everyone is happy with it.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THOMAS suggested  that vehicles are safer now  and do not                                                               
present a danger even though they weigh more.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. POUND agreed.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER  added that  less maintenance is  needed to                                                               
maintain safe vehicles.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:15:25 PM                                                                                                                    
AVES  THOMPSON, Executive  Director, Alaska  Trucking Association                                                               
(ATA),  testified in  support of  HB 271.  He said  one of  ATA's                                                               
legislative priorities is  to change the definition  of an intra-                                                               
state  commercial  vehicle to  reduce  the  regulatory burden  on                                                               
small  businesses. As  vehicles have  gotten larger  and heavier,                                                               
many  now fall  into the  commercial category  ensuing additional                                                               
costs  to the  owners. He  noted that  the legislation  would not                                                               
change  the   commercial  status  of  intra-state   vehicles  for                                                               
purposes  of registration  with  DMV and  therefore  there is  no                                                               
fiscal  impact on  the state.  He urged  favorable action  on the                                                               
bill.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:19:43 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  MENARD asked  if there  would be  a fiscal  loss to  the                                                               
state.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
DAN  BREEDEN,  Director,  Division  of  Measurement  Standards  &                                                               
Commercial  Vehicle Enforcement,  Department of  Transportation &                                                               
Public Facilities,  addressed Senator Menard's question  and said                                                               
that  the law  would  apply only  to  intra-state operations  and                                                               
would not change registration requirements.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:21:19 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MENARD  moved to report  CS for  HB 271, version  D, from                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations  and attached  fiscal                                                               
note(s).                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR KOOKESH  announced that without objection,  CSHB 271(TRA)am                                                               
moved from the Senate Transportation Standing Committee.