04/11/1994 04:15 PM House FIN

  HB 430    An Act requiring certain applicants for a driver's                 
            license to take a driver training course.                          
                                                                               
            CS HB 430 (FIN) was reported out of Committee with                 
            "no recommendations" and with a fiscal note by the                 
            Department of Public Safety.                                       
  HOUSE BILL 430                                                               
                                                                               
                                3                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
       "An Act  requiring  certain applicants  for a  driver's                 
       license to take a driver training course."                              
                                                                               
  JEFFERY LOGAN, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE  JOE GREEN, pointed out                 
  that the  legislation would  establish new  rules for  young                 
  drivers.  Due to the high incidence of accidents, injury and                 
  death among teenage drivers, many states and other political                 
  jurisdictions  are changing the  rules which grant teenagers                 
  the "license"  to drive.   The  language of  the bill  would                 
  establish conditions during the provisional state  including                 
  restrictions on  night time  driving encouraging  driving in                 
  less dangerous circumstances.   He  added that studies  have                 
  shown that night time restrictions have reduced accidents.                   
                                                                               
  Representative Foster MOVED to adopt work draft #8-LS1608\E,                 
  Ford, 4/07/94  as the version  before the Committee.   There                 
  being NO OBJECTION, it was adopted.                                          
                                                                               
  Representative Grussendorf questioned the reference on  Page                 
  2,  Line  3,  which  states  that  the   permittee  must  be                 
  accompanied by a person at least twenty-five (25) years  old                 
  as opposed to the previous age of nineteen (19).  He thought                 
  that twenty-one would be a more appropriate age.                             
                                                                               
  REPRESENTATIVE JOE GREEN replied  that twenty-five years old                 
  is an  arbitrary  and maturation  number  and an  age  which                 
  insurance companies utilize.   Discussion followed regarding                 
  the maturation age of young adult drivers.                                   
                                                                               
  Co-Chair   MacLean   questioned  the   night   time  driving                 
  restrictions.  Mr.  Logan replied  that the restricted  time                 
  from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. is found to be the most dangerous time                 
  for young adults to drive.                                                   
  Co-Chair MacLean asked  if the federal grants  referenced in                 
  the fiscal notes  as a funding  source were available.   Mr.                 
  Logan replied that  the federal grants would  be distributed                 
  under S-7.38, federal legislation  which established a grant                 
  program to implement the proposed legislation.                               
                                                                               
  Representative  Brown pointed  out that the  proposed fiscal                 
  note would be deficient  to cover the operating costs.   Mr.                 
  Logan  advised that  the authorizing  grant  legislation has                 
  passed the U.S. Senate  and currently is in the  U.S. House.                 
  Representative Brown reiterated that there will be a cost to                 
  the State of Alaska.                                                         
                                                                               
  Discussion  followed among  Committee members and  Mr. Logan                 
  regarding   the   provisional  driver's   license   and  the                 
  restrictions on driver's  license issued  to a person  under                 
  21.                                                                          
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                4                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  Co-Chair MacLean MOVED to amend Page 3, Section #3, deleting                 
  subsection  (c),   Lines  13-21.     Representative   Martin                 
  OBJECTED.                                                                    
                                                                               
  A roll call vote was taken on the MOTION.                                    
                                                                               
       IN FAVOR:      Brown,   Foster,   Grussendorf,  Hanley,                 
                      Navarre, Larson, MacLean.                                
       OPPOSED:       Martin, Parnell, Therriault.                             
                                                                               
  Representative Hoffman was not present for the vote.                         
                                                                               
  The MOTION PASSED (7-3).                                                     
                                                                               
  Representative Martin MOVED to report CS HB 430 (FIN) out of                 
  Committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  with  the                 
  accompanying fiscal notes.  Representative Navarre OBJECTED.                 
                                                                               
  A roll call vote was taken on the MOTION.                                    
                                                                               
       IN FAVOR:      Foster,    Hanley,   Martin,    Parnell,                 
                      Therriault, Larson.                                      
       OPPOSED:       Grussendorf, Navarre, Brown, MacLean.                    
                                                                               
  Representative Hoffman was not present for the vote.                         
                                                                               
  The MOTION PASSED (6-4).                                                     
                                                                               
  CS  HB  430 (FIN)  was reported  out  of Committee  with "no                 
  recommendations"  and  with  a  zero   fiscal  note  by  the                 
  Department of Public Safety.