02/02/2016 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS

        HB 217-SP. REQ. ARTS LICENSE PLATES; COMPETITION                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:09:16 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN  announced that the  first order of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE  BILL  NO.  217,  "An   Act  relating  to  special  request                                                               
registration plates  commemorating the arts; and  relating to the                                                               
Alaska State Council on the Arts."                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
[Before the committee was the  proposed committee substitute (CS)                                                               
for HB  217, Version 29-LS0999\N,  Martin, 1/25/16, adopted  as a                                                               
work draft on 1/26/16.]                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:09:54 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KREISS-TOMKINS, as  prime  sponsor, presented  HB
.   He stated that  the proposed legislation was  an "American                                                               
Idol"  type competition  for an  Alaskan statewide  license plate                                                               
design to  be held  every four years  administered and  juried by                                                               
the Alaska State  Council on the Arts (ASCA).   The final designs                                                               
would be  picked by  juries selected  by the  ASCA, and  a winner                                                               
would be selected by popular vote.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN asked what "American Idol" was.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS  answered that "American  Idol" was                                                               
a  reality television  show in  which singers  competed before  a                                                               
jury  and ultimately  the public  was  invited to  vote on  their                                                               
choice  of best  singer.    He further  stated  that  this was  a                                                               
similar  idea except  it was  for  license plate  design and  art                                                               
portraying Alaska.   He said  that the  idea behind this  is that                                                               
every  license plate  in Alaska  is a  canvas and  Alaska artists                                                               
would have the  ability to compete to put their  designs forth as                                                               
a  license  plate  design  that Alaskans  can  choose  for  their                                                               
vehicles.   The revenue  from this competition  would go  to help                                                               
fund ASCA.   He  stated the  intent of  HB 219  is to  generate a                                                               
modest revenue stream  for ASCA and to make sure  that Alaska has                                                               
the  most stunning  and beautiful  license plates  - designed  by                                                               
Alaskans - of all 50 states in the nation.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:12:30 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS relayed that  the Division of Motor                                                               
Vehicles (DMV) requested the fee for  the plate, as shown on page                                                               
1,  line  14, of  Version  N,  be changed  from  $35  to $50  for                                                               
internal consistency.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER asked how the  $50 fee was derived from the                                                               
existing $150 fee currently in law.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS offered  his understanding that the                                                               
$150 fee  in law is out-of-date  and was for a  plate design that                                                               
is  not  currently  offered.     The  drafters  of  the  proposed                                                               
legislation mistakenly used the $150 fee amount.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:13:47 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER moved to adopt Amendment 1, as follows:                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 14:                                                                                                           
          Delete "$35"                                                                                                          
          Insert "$50"                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
There being no objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:14:02 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS  commented that  it was  a pleasure                                                               
working with ASCA  and various artists in Alaska  who are excited                                                               
about visioning this process.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR LYNN opened public testimony on HB 217.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
8:14:34 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
AMY ERICKSON,  Director, Division  of Motor  Vehicles, Department                                                               
of  Administration  (DOA),  stated   that  the  division  has  no                                                               
objections to HB 217.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
8:15:08 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KELLER  REPRESENTATIVE moved  to report  CSHB 217,                                                               
Version  29-LS0999\N   Martin,  1/25/16,   as  amended,   out  of                                                               
committee  with individual  recommendations and  the accompanying                                                               
fiscal  notes.   There  being  no  objection, CSHB  217(STA)  was                                                               
reported from the House State Affairs Standing Committee.