02/06/2014 03:30 PM Senate COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

        SB 123-PROHIBIT USE OF CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:32:40 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MICCICHE announced SB 123 to be up for consideration.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:32:58 PM                                                                                                                    
EDRA MORLEDGE,  Staff to Senator  Meyer, sponsor of SB  123, said                                                               
this is an  authorizing bill to allow municipalities,  if they so                                                               
choose, to  pass an ordinance  to prohibit cell phone  use within                                                               
school zones or on school  property. A constituent had approached                                                               
the  Municipality of  Anchorage  well over  three  years ago  and                                                               
worked with the  chair to get an ordinance passed,  but found the                                                               
state needed  to pass enabling  legislation because  traffic laws                                                               
need to be uniform across the state.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
3:33:44 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BISHOP joined the meeting.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:34:16 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MICCICHE noted letters of  support from Anchorage Mayor Dan                                                               
Sullivan and  David White. He  asked if anyone wished  to testify                                                               
on SB 123.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:35:25 PM                                                                                                                    
DAVID WIGHT,  representing himself, Anchorage,  Alaska, supported                                                               
SB 123. He  said he had worked with two  separate principals, the                                                               
chairs of  the PTA, and  e had done public  service announcements                                                               
through  school media  asking drivers  to put  their cell  phones                                                               
away.  He noted  consistent cell  phone use  by 25-30  percent of                                                               
drivers  who  take the  position  that  what  they are  doing  is                                                               
important,  that they  are safe,  and that  it's not  illegal. He                                                               
said there is  a substantial body of evidence and  concern by the                                                               
administration,  volunteers and  crossing  guards  that it's  the                                                               
single biggest safety hazard in the school zones.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:37:33 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR BISHOP  said he was  proud that Mr. White  was continuing                                                               
"safety first and nobody gets hurt" in the private sector.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:38:16 PM                                                                                                                    
ED GRAFF,  Superintendent, Anchorage School  District, Anchorage,                                                               
Alaska,  supported SB  123. He  said mixing  a distracted  driver                                                               
with hundreds  of pedestrians, bicyclists and  vehicles in school                                                               
zones and  areas on a daily  basis is just too  great a potential                                                               
for an  accident or injury to  happen. He also thanked  Mr. White                                                               
for his advocacy and the support he had provided to the schools.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:39:53 PM                                                                                                                    
ERNIE  HALL,  Chairman,  Anchorage Assembly,  Anchorage,  Alaska,                                                               
supported SB  123. He  sponsored the  resolution before  the body                                                               
that  got this  put into  the  legislative package  and that  was                                                               
entirely  at the  urging of  David  White. He  looked forward  to                                                               
working  on municipal  code that  will  prevent the  use of  cell                                                               
phones within school zones.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:41:42 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MICCICHE closed public testimony.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:42:43 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  GIESSEL  moved  to  report  SB  123,  version  \A,  from                                                               
committee  to  the next  committee  of  referral with  individual                                                               
recommendations  and attached  zero  fiscal note.  There were  no                                                               
objections, and it was so ordered.