Legislature(1995 - 1996)
03/02/1995 01:36 PM Senate TRA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
SHES - 3/2/95
SB 86 COMMEMORATIVE GOLD RUSH LICENSE PLATES
Number 420
CHAIRMAN RIEGER introduced SB 86 as the next order of business
before the committee. He recognized that the Department of Public
Safety was present for questions.
CAM TOOHEY, staff to Senator Sharp, stated that SB 86 is similar to
the legislation of last year; SB 86 does have a minor change.
SB 86 would allow individuals to celebrate the Gold Rush with the
purchase of a commemorative license plate. The license plate would
be designed by the commissioner and the Office of Public Safety in
accord with the Gold Rush Task Force. He acknowledged that the
representative from the Department of Public Safety may want to
address an amendment that would decrease the fiscal note.
SENATOR ADAMS inquired as to what was added to this legislation
when it was HB 407 which was vetoed by former Governor Hickel.
CAM TOOHEY explained that HB 407 removed the need for two license
plates.
SENATOR ADAMS noted the $17.4 fiscal note, when stating that he had
the understanding that the sale of special license plates would
absorb the cost of producing them. Perhaps, the cost of these
special license plates could be raised in order to cover the cost
of producing them or the sale of special plates could be
eliminated.
JUANITA HENSLEY, the Division of Motor Vehicles, stated that in the
past, the costs to produce special plates have not been recovered
in their sale. She did note that the Veteran's license plate has
recovered the cost to produce it. She suggested deleting the
language on line 9, "and color" in order to decrease the fiscal
impact of SB 86.
Ms. Hensley explained that deleting this language would allow the
use of their existing stock of reflective material rather than
purchasing a roll for $12,500. Reflective material must be
purchased by the roll and an order of 1,000 plates must be present
before the order can be placed. Deleting this language would
reduce the costs; the cost of the metal and the design of the plate
would be the only costs.
SENATOR TAYLOR asked if the Ms. Hensley had reviewed the
possibility of plating license plates, a chrome or gold-plated
license plate. He suggested that she investigate that option.
Number 487
SENATOR ADAMS asked if the Alaska Gold Rush Centennial Task Force
was in place. CAM TOOHEY replied yes; the task force which is a
volunteer organization has been in existence since 1992.
SENATOR LINCOLN inquired as to the cost of the Al-Can Centennial
license plate because it seems parallel to this plate. JUANITA
HENSLEY explained that the commemoration of the 50th year of the
Alaska Highway plate was developed by private industry. Through
legislation, the license plate was allowed placement on a vehicle
for one year only.
SENATOR LINCOLN inquired as to the difference in the process of the
two plates. SENATOR SHARP felt that the Commemorative Gold Rush
plates could be permanent plates; this may be one of the few
manners in which to receive a new plate.
JUANITA HENSLEY stated that depending on the design and the color
of the license plate, the plate would replace an existing plate.
She explained that this license plate would cost $30 plus the
normal registration fee; this is similar to a vanity and a
personalized plate.
SENATOR LINCOLN asked what the fiscal note for SB 86 would be if
the existing stock of reflective material was used. JUANITA
HENSLEY said that the fiscal note would decrease by approximately
$5,800.
SENATOR LINCOLN questioned why the commissioner would determine the
design of this plate; why not the Alaska Gold Rush Centennial Task
Force. CAM TOOHEY informed the committee that the Division of
Motor Vehicles wanted the commissioner to have the authority in
order to eliminate the possibility of an expensive design or a
design that would be too difficult to see by law enforcement.
SENATOR ADAMS asked if there would be uniformity in the cost of
this plate in relation to other specialty plates. JUANITA HENSLEY
specified that a vanity plate costs $30 and a custom plate costs
$50, both requiring the normal registration fees as well. She
offered to share the list of all the specialty plates and their
accounts with the committee.
SENATOR TAYLOR agreed that the commissioner should oversee the
designing process.
Number 546
JUANITA HENSLEY emphasized that the reflectablility and the
readability of the license plate would be important for law
enforcement as well as the public. The University license plate is
hard to read and its design did not have oversight by the
commissioner. SENATOR TAYLOR agreed and recounted his experience
with this University plate.
CHAIRMAN RIEGER asked if the language needed to be deleted if the
commissioner could dictate that the color would come from the
existing stock of reflective materials. JUANITA HENSLEY felt that
deleting the language would eliminate the possibility of using
other colors.
SENATOR ADAMS inquired as to Senator Sharp's opinion with regard to
the deletion of the language. SENATOR SHARP stated that it would
be acceptable; this suggestion would save money.
SENATOR TAYLOR moved to delete the language "and color" on line 9
of SB 86. Without objection, the amendment was adopted.
SENATOR LINCOLN asked if the fiscal note would reflect the
amendment. CHAIRMAN RIEGER assured the committee that the deletion
would be pointed out to the Finance Committee.
JUANITA HENSLEY stated that the fiscal note would be re-worked.
She indicated the need to have the estimated number of purchasers
of this license plate, then the revenue that the department would
collect could be presented as well.
SENATOR ADAMS moved that CS SB 86(TRA), with its new fiscal note,
be moved out of committee with individual recommendations. Without
objections, it was so ordered.
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