01/23/2007 09:00 AM Senate STATE AFFAIRS

          SB  49-COMMEMORATIVE PLATES: STATEHOOD ANIV.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCGUIRE announced the consideration of SB 49.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:19:48 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  STEVENS  noted that  2009  is  the 50th  anniversary  of                                                               
Alaska's statehood. The legislature  created the Alaska Statehood                                                               
Celebration  Commission,  which  recommended the  issuance  of  a                                                               
special   vehicle  license   plate  for   the  anniversary.   The                                                               
commission will help  design the plate. He noted  an amendment to                                                               
SB 49  changing the issue date  of the plate to  January 1, 2008,                                                               
and he added  that he had a letter of  support from Gail Phillips                                                               
who is the chair of the commission. There is a zero fiscal note.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:21:29 AM                                                                                                                    
DUANE BANNOCK,  Director, Division of Motor  Vehicles, Department                                                               
of Administration, said the administration  is in full support of                                                               
SB  49.  He said  he  supports  the  amendment that  changes  the                                                               
issuance  date so  the orders  will  be delivered  by January  2,                                                               
2008.   This plate will  remain the  state's plate for  two years                                                               
and then revert back to the current plate design, he explained.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR BUNDE asked if commemorative plates can be purchased.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR. BANNOCK said if a vehicle  owner wanted to replace his or her                                                               
current license plate, it would cost five dollars.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:23:53 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR FRENCH asked if the  "last frontier" plates would also be                                                               
available during those two years.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR.  BANNOCK said  no, but  a  person could  get the  traditional                                                               
plate in the personalized variety.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:25:01 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  FRENCH spoke  of his  hesitance because  the legislature                                                               
could not review the new design.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR. BANNOCK said he has seen  the design and told the senators to                                                               
request it from the commission.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
GAIL  PHILLIPS, Chair,  Alaska Statehood  Celebration Commission,                                                               
said  the commission  has been  working to  get the  plate design                                                               
approved, but  it is  not finalized. She  offered to  provide the                                                               
committee with the design that the commission has chosen.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:27:14 AM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR GREEN asked if the design is like a poster she has seen.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS. PHILLIPS  said there were  similarities, but there  needed to                                                               
be specifications so the design would fit on a license plate.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  BUNDE  asked if  Ms.  Phillips  is  part of  the  design                                                               
decision.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MS. PHILLIPS said the commission  is working with the Division of                                                               
Motor Vehicles.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  BUNDE noted  Ms. Phillips'  dislike of  the bear  design                                                               
used on a past license plate.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:28:19 AM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MCGUIRE said she liked the plate with the bear design.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR STEVENS moved Amendment 1, as follows:                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 10, strike "August 1, 2007"                                                                                   
      Insert "January 1, 2008"                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Hearing no objection, it was so ordered.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  STEVENS moved  SB  49 as  amended  with attached  fiscal                                                               
notes and individual recommendations.  Hearing no objection, CSSB
(STA) passed from committee.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
9:29:29 AM