Legislature(2011 - 2012)CAPITOL 106
04/07/2011 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB31 | |
| SB93 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | SB 31 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 93 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 93-SPECIALTY LICENSE PLATES
9:47:27 AM
VICE CHAIR KELLER announced that the last order of business was
SENATE BILL NO. 93, "An Act relating to special request
specialty organization registration plates; and providing for an
effective date."
9:47:46 AM
KARLA HART, Staff, Senator Bill Wielechowski, Alaska State
Legislature, presented SB 93 on behalf of the Senate State
Affairs Standing Committee, sponsor, on which Senator
Wielechowski is chair. She said specialty license plates are
sweeping the country, with technological changes allowing
efficient, economical printing of designs on demand, and the
proposed legislation not only would address people's interest in
these license plates, but also the amount of time the
legislature spends considering [requests for new specialized
plate designs]. She noted that currently about half of the
states allow administrative approval of specialty license
plates.
MS. HART related that which SB 93 would accomplish, as shown in
the lower portion of the one-page sponsor's statement [included
in the committee packet], which read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
develop a procedure for administrative review and
award of specialty license plates.
specialty plates will be easily readable and
recognizable for law enforcement.
that will apply to all specialty license plates.
administrative responsibilities of confirming
eligibility, collecting and accounting for funds for
the non-profit, and developing the license plate
artwork and design are transferred to the sponsoring
organization. DMV processing of plate applications is
streamlined as the applications will be submitted in
batches by sponsoring organizations.
registration fee covers the cost of producing and
issuing the specialty plates.
MS. HART said after researching other states' programs,
Pennsylvania's program was selected as the model for SB 93. She
said DMV supports the proposed legislation, and has told the
bill sponsor that it would have no problem getting regulations
in place by the effective date. She emphasized that SB 93
neither would preclude the legislature from passing future
license plate bills nor impact any license plate bills that have
already passed.
9:52:31 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON directed attention to language on page 2,
line 6, of SB 93, which would require regulation providing that
the entity requesting the issuance of the plates "submit
registration fees for at least 50 motor vehicles before
specialty registration plates will be issued". He asked if that
number could be changed to 10 and remain just as effective.
MS. HART answered yes. She said the numbers vary widely across
the country and partly are a function of state population. She
said Pennsylvania's model started out at 300, dropped that
number to 50-100, and currently require a minimum of only one,
because the program is working so well and pays for itself.
9:53:33 AM
VICE CHAIR KELLER questioned whether specialty plates would be
used for campaign purposes, and he asked if that is a concern in
other states.
MS. HART responded that some states have set in regulation and
others through statute that the theme of the plates should be
nonpolitical. She said she does not know if that is
specifically defined in SB 93 or whether candidates generally
run via their own nonprofit organizations.
VICE CHAIR KELLER said he sees that as a potential problem.
9:55:00 AM
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON suggested that people likely would not opt
for a campaign specialty license plate, since they would then be
stuck with that plate for a long time.
VICE CHAIR disagreed.
9:55:31 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG directed attention to language on page
2, line 8, which read: "may not be offensive in purpose,
nature, activity, or name". He expressed concern that
disallowing that which is "offensive" may infringe on First
Amendment rights.
MS. HART, in response to Representative Gruenberg, said SB 93
had not been referred to the House Judiciary Standing Committee.
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG related that a case having to do with
First Amendment rights and New Hampshire's license plate made it
to the U.S. Supreme Court.
9:57:09 AM
REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN questioned whether the language on page
2, line 8, is already a requirement for specialized plates.
9:57:30 AM
STACY OATES, Administrative Officer, Division of Motor Vehicles,
Department of Administration, indicated that the information
regarding profanity is, in part, in regulations. She said the
division is well aware of the court's decisions regarding free
speech and license plates. She said if someone objects to a
decision by the division not to okay a license plate design,
then a hearing procedure is followed. She said the division has
been dealing with this issue since the existence of personalized
plates, and she said she does not foresee any different process
would result under [SB 93].
9:58:53 AM
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said he would like a copy of the
regulations and the statute upon which those regulations are
promulgated.
MS. OATES said she would procure that for the committee.
MS. HART noted that there is one 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
ruling regarding licenses plates, which supports freedom of
speech, and she said she would get a copy of that to the
committee.
[SB 93 was held over.]
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|