05/03/2002 01:15 PM House JUD

SB 100 - PERSONAL MOTOR VEHICLES/ REGISTRATION                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 1198                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ROKEBERG  announced that  the next  order of business  would                                                              
be CS  FOR SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE  FOR SENATE BILL NO.  100(RLS)(title                                                              
am),  "An Act  relating to  regulation and  operation of  personal                                                              
motor vehicles."                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 1210                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
KELLY  HUBER,  Staff   to  Senator  Rick  Halford,   Alaska  State                                                              
Legislature, said  on behalf of Senator Halford,  sponsor, that in                                                              
the   fall  of   2001,  a   new,   quiet,  clean   fuel  mode   of                                                              
transportation was  unveiled.  It  is called an electric  personal                                                              
assistive  mobility device,  which  is a  self-balancing two  non-                                                              
tandem wheeled  device, which transports  a single person  with no                                                              
emissions.  It has  a maximum speed of 15 miles  per hour or less,                                                              
and is operated  by a gyroscope.  The footprint  is about shoulder                                                              
width, and by  leaning forward or backward, the  operator controls                                                              
the direction  the device travels  in.   She said that  the intent                                                              
of SB 100  is to "create the  regulations in which these  would be                                                              
allowed."   Language in SB 100  stipulates that these  devices may                                                              
not  be  prohibited   from  use  on  sidewalks,   bike  paths,  or                                                              
vehicular ways.   She  noted, however,  that an amendment  adopted                                                              
in   the  Senate   allows  municipalities   to  adopt   ordinances                                                              
regulating the use of these devices.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS.  HUBER  posited  that  these   devices,  similar  to  electric                                                              
wheelchairs, may  provide increased and welcomed  independence for                                                              
both  the elderly  and  the disabled,  and  additionally may  have                                                              
other uses.   To date, 17  states have signed  similar legislation                                                              
into  law,  and  legislation  in four  other  states  is  awaiting                                                              
gubernatorial  signature.  She  pointed out that  SB 100  does not                                                              
have any fiscal  impact.  In response to a question,  she said she                                                              
has  heard  that these  devices  are  being  called "the  IT"  and                                                              
"Ginger".                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Number 1401                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
DENNIS POSHARD,  Legislative Liaison/Special Assistant,  Office of                                                              
the   Commissioner,   Department   of  Transportation   &   Public                                                              
Facilities  (DOT&PF),   said  simply   that  the  DOT&PF   has  no                                                              
objections to SB 100.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ROKEBERG closed the public hearing on SB 100.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Number 1418                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  BERKOWITZ moved  to  report CSSSSB  100(RLS)(title                                                              
am)  out of  committee  with  individual recommendations  and  the                                                              
accompanying zero  fiscal note.  There being  no objection, CSSSSB
(RLS)(title   am)  was  reported   from  the  House   Judiciary                                                              
Standing Committee.