04/12/2007 01:30 PM House FINANCE

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 49(STA)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     An Act relating to commemorative license plates                                                                            
     celebrating Alaska's 50th anniversary as a state; and                                                                      
     providing for an effective date.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
DOUG LETCH,  STAFF, SENATOR GARY  STEVENS, explained  that in                                                                   
                                    thth                                                                                        
2009, Alaska  will celebrate its  50  anniversary as  the 49                                                                    
                                       rd                                                                                       
State.   To mark  the occasion,  the 23  Legislature  created                                                                   
the  Alaska  Statehood Celebration  Commission  to  organize,                                                                   
plan and administer all official  State activities leading up                                                                   
to the anniversary.  The Commission  has recommended that the                                                                   
State issue a commemorative license plate.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
SB  49  provides   the  Division  of  Motor   Vehicles  (DMV)                                                                   
statutory  authority   to  issue  a  special   license  plate                                                                   
commemorating the  anniversary.  The Division  has determined                                                                   
the design and  color of the plate.  DMV will  begin to issue                                                                   
the plate on January 1, 2008.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Mr.  Letch  noted  that  SB  49  was  amended  by  the  House                                                                   
Transportation  Committee  to  allow  DMV  to  issue  special                                                                   
registration  plates to  recipients  of the  Medal of  Honor.                                                                   
The bill also  waives any registration or plate  fees for the                                                                   
person  receiving the  Medal  of Honor  and  removes the  $30                                                                   
dollars fee for Purple Heart recipients.  He urged support.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:24:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice Chair Stoltze  asked about the title change.   Mr. Letch                                                                   
replied  that the  title was changed  as a  result of  action                                                                   
taken in the House Transportation Committee.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Thomas  inquired   if  the  plates  could  be                                                                   
purchased  without  using  them  on a  vehicle.    Mr.  Letch                                                                   
thought that  was an  option & that  they would be  available                                                                   
for collectors.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:25:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DUANE  BANNOCK,  (TESTIFIED  VIA  TELECONFERENCE),  DIRECTOR,                                                                   
DIVISION   OF    MOTOR   VEHICLES   (DMV),    DEPARTMENT   OF                                                                   
ADMINISTRATION, ANCHORAGE, testified  in support of the bill,                                                                   
adding  that the  plates could  be  purchased as  replacement                                                                   
plates or as a sample plate available for collectors.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
2:27:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHRISTOPHER  CONSTANT, (TESTIFIED  VIA TELECONFERENCE),  VICE                                                                   
CHAIR,  ALASKA STATEHOOD  CELEBRATION COMMISSION,  ANCHORAGE,                                                                   
noted that  the Commission had  worked on the plates  for the                                                                   
past  couple  years  and  urged   that  the  bill  pass  from                                                                   
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:28:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Thomas  commented   that  a  bill  previously                                                                   
passed the  "metal of honor" plate  & thought a  free license                                                                   
plate  would be  a  nice action  for that  group.   He  added                                                                   
encouragement to provide the license to those families.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Meyer  pointed out  the fiscal  revenue loss  in the                                                                   
amount of $2,000 dollars.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:30:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAVID SCOTT,  STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE KYLE  JOHANSEN, explained                                                                   
that   language  added   during   the  House   Transportation                                                                   
Committee  did create  a  Metal of  Honor  license plate  and                                                                   
would waive  the license plate  and registration fee  for the                                                                   
Metal of Honor  recipients as well as deletes  the $30 dollar                                                                   
fee for Purple Heart recipients.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:31:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Foster MOVED to  REPORT HCS CS SB 49 (TRA) out                                                                   
of Committee  with  individual recommendations  and with  the                                                                   
accompanying fiscal  note.  There being NO  OBJECTION, it was                                                                   
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
HCS CS SB 49  (TRA) was reported out of Committee  with a "do                                                                   
pass"  recommendation   and  with  fiscal  note   #2  by  the                                                                   
Department of Administration.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
2:31:50 PM