05/06/2004 01:30 PM Senate L&C

                                                                                                                                
     CSHB 474(JUD) am-LIABILITY FOR AIRPORTS AND AIRSTRIPS                                                                  
                                                                                                                              
CHAIR CON  BUNDE called  the Senate  Labor and  Commerce Standing                                                             
Committee meeting  to order  at 1:50  p.m. Present  were Senators                                                               
Gary Stevens,  Ralph Seekins, Bettye  Davis and Chair  Con Bunde.                                                               
The  first order  of business  to come  before the  committee was                                                               
CSHB 474(JUD) am.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR. TODD LARKIN, staff to  Representative Jim Holm, sponsor, said                                                               
HB 474  clarifies statute by  removing the word  "natural" before                                                               
"individual"  that   currently  only  protects   individuals  who                                                               
operate and maintain airstrips  without compensation. By deleting                                                               
"natural"  it will  include groups,  organizations and  corporate                                                               
neighbors also as long as they don't receive compensation.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR BUNDE noted that this is a good neighbor bill.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GARY STEVENS asked what happens  when the X on the runway                                                               
is covered up by snow in relation to language on page 2, line 6.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR.  LARKIN  said  that  change   was  requested  by  pilots  who                                                               
referenced Federal  Aviation Administration (FAA)  guidelines for                                                               
marking airstrips.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR SEEKINS  said he  had a  companion bill  to this  one and                                                               
explained that  FAA guidelines say  if an X  is there, it  can be                                                               
covered up with snow; but if a person closes his strip, he can't                                                                
use it either and the FAA has to be notified of the closure.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR SEEKINS  moved to  pass CSHB  474(JUD) am  from committee                                                               
with  individual   recommendations  and  attached   fiscal  note.                                                               
Senators Gary Stevens,  Davis, Seekins and Chair  Bunde voted yea                                                               
and CSHB 474(JUD) am moved from committee.