Legislature(2005 - 2006)HOUSE FINANCE 519
04/25/2006 01:30 PM House FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB250 | |
| SB20 | |
| HB386 | |
| SB261 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 386 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 250 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 20 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 261 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 261(FIN)
An Act relating to the designation of traffic safety
corridors; relating to the bail or fine for an offense
committed in a traffic safety corridor and to
separately accounting for such fines; and providing for
an effective date.
MARY SIROKY, SPECIAL ASSISTANT, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
& PUBLIC FACILITIES, explained that the bill relates to bail
or fines for an offense committed in a traffic safety
corridor; it separately accounts for such fines.
The Alaska Supreme Court and each municipality would be
required to provide the scheduled amount of fine or bail for
a motor vehicle or traffic offense in a traffic safety
corridor and would be double the fine amount if the offense
had not been committed in that area.
Ms. Siroky pointed out that the bill also provides separate
accounting for fines collected for traffic safety corridor
offenses and for the 50% appropriation of collected fines to
the Department of Transportation & Public Facilities for
highway safety programs. SB 261 would have an immediate
effective date.
3:47:17 PM
Co-Chair Chenault asked if there would be a speed limit
change on the Sterling Highway realignment. Ms. Siroky
responded that safety zones do not always result in a speed
limit change but rather a double fine including more
patrolling of those areas.
3:48:30 PM
Representative Kerttula requested that one be put in place
on the North Douglas highway. Ms. Siroky explained that the
Department uses information from fatalities and traffic
accident rates for a three-year period average to make such
a determination.
Representative Holm asked why no fiscal note had been
included for the Department of Public Safety. He did not
understand how it could be patrolled without extra troopers.
3:49:38 PM
JOHN MACKINNON, (TESTIFIED VIA TELECONFERENCE), DEPUTY
DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC
FACILITIES, noted there are Safety Sanction Funds available,
to be used for additional enforcement. Those funds were
generated from seat belt & motorcycle monies that the
federal government withholds from construction programs for
use of safety programs.
3:50:15 PM
Representative Holm asked about the costs associated with
extra hired personnel. Mr. MacKinnon explained that
typically, the additional level of enforcement is handled
through overtime charges.
3:50:43 PM
Representative Weyhrauch pointed out that the House
Judiciary Committee version adds sign intervals of every
three miles rather than five and asked if that could add to
the expense. Mr. MacKinnon thought that the traffic manual
requires signs every five miles. The three-mile spacing
would only happen in the safety corridors.
3:51:38 PM
Co-Chair Chenault asked if there had been more fatalities
since the realignment of the roads. He noticed from the
backup that over half the deaths were related to alcohol or
drugs. Mr. MacKinnon acknowledged that some of the maps
indicate an accident increase after major reconstruction
projects. He did not relate that to driver's speed, rather
more likely due to volume on the road. The target of the
legislation is driver's behavior, with only a small
percentage of drivers causing most problems.
Co-Chair Chenault understood the intent was to find careless
drivers. Mr. MacKinnon agreed. In 2005, on the Seward
Highway from Anchorage to Seward, Troopers wrote a total of
722 citations; in 2006, from January through March only,
Troopers wrote 730 citations from the Girdwood Station
alone, a change due to increased enforcement. He stated it
is an effective tool.
3:54:07 PM
LIEUTENANT JAMES HELGOE, (TESTIFIED VIA TELECONFERENCE),
LEGISLATIVE LIAISON - ALASKA STATE TROOPERS, DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC SAFETY, ANCHORAGE, offered to answer questions of the
Committee.
3:54:43 PM
PUBLIC TESTIMONY CLOSED
3:54:54 PM
Vice Chair Stoltze noted the legislation seriously affects
his district and that he appreciates the intent.
3:55:42 PM
Co-Chair Meyer mentioned the fiscal notes and the Letter of
Intent.
Representative Weyhrauch interjected that the House Finance
Committee should not adopt the House Judiciary Letter of
Intent. Co-Chair Meyer agreed.
3:57:11 PM
Representative Foster MOVED to REPORT out of HCS CS SB 261
(JUD) out of Committee with individual recommendations and
with the accompanying fiscal notes. Representative Holm
OBJECTED.
Representative Holm thought that it would make more sense
for the Department of Transportation & Public Facilities to
lower the speed limit. Requiring a blanket "finding"
mechanism is not right. Fines do not necessarily translate
into better driving habits. He added, there are not enough
police to effect the bill.
Representative Holm WITHDREW his OBJECTION. There being NO
further OBJECTION, the bill moved from Committee.
HCS CS SB 261 (JUD) was reported out of Committee with a
"do" recommendation and with fiscal note #1 by the
Department of Transportation & Public Facilities, zero note
#2 by the Department of Public Safety and zero note #3
Alaska Court System and new indeterminate note by the House
Finance Committee.
3:59:43 PM
Co-Chair Chenault spoke to his intent in addressing the
Petroleum Production Tax (PPT) legislation during the next
few days.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|