Legislature(2017 - 2018)GRUENBERG 120
03/14/2017 03:00 PM House STATE AFFAIRS
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB82 | |
| HB74 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 112 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 82 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | HB 94 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 46 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 74 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 82-RESTRICTED OFF HWY DRIVER'S LICENSE
3:20:51 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the first order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 82, "An Act relating to vehicle
registration; relating to off-road system restricted
noncommercial drivers' licenses; relating to off-highway
commercial drivers' licenses; relating to off-road system
eligible areas; and relating to motor vehicle liability
insurance." [Before the committee was the proposed committee
substitute (CS) for HB 82, Version 30-LS0367\D, Martin, 2/27/17,
adopted as a work draft on 2/28/17, hereafter referred to as
Version D.]
3:21:12 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KNOPP moved to adopt Amendment 1, [labeled 30-
LS0367\D.1, Martin, 3/14/17], which read:
Page 2, lines 21 - 22:
Delete "to the land-connected state highway
system and do not have land-connected road access"
Page 2, line 23:
Delete "fiscal year"
Insert "12 months"
Page 4, line 8, following "the":
Insert "noncommercial"
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS objected for the purpose of discussion.
3:21:40 PM
BARRETT WILBUR, Staff, Representative Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins,
Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Kreiss-
Tomkins, prime sponsor of HB 82, stated that Amendment 1 was
drafted in response to committee discussion during the House
State Affairs Standing Committee meeting of 3/9/17. She
explained that the proposed deletion on page 2, lines 21-22, of
HB 82, would ensure that ferry-accessible communities are
eligible for the off-highway driver's license (OHDL), if they do
not have Division of Motor Vehicle (DMV) offices. She added
that even though the Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) is
considered a state highway, it is not a road. She said the
substitution of "12 months" for "fiscal year" would ensure there
is a road test every 12 months. Finally, she relayed the
insertion of "noncommercial" before "motor vehicle" was a
conforming change to make it absolutely clear that HB 82 would
not affect commercial vehicle licensure.
3:24:28 PM
REPRESENTATIVE KNOPP asked for clarification on the proposed
change from "fiscal year" to "12 months".
MS. WILBUR explained that if a road test was offered at the
beginning of one fiscal year and at the end of the next fiscal
year, the time between road tests would be more than 12 months.
REPRESENTATIVE KNOPP asked why the duration of the OHDL license
was not made consistent with that of the on-road license.
3:26:46 PM
AMY JOHNSON, Deputy Director, Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV),
Department of Administration (DOA), explained that the 12-month
timeframe is to allow DMV the opportunity to get to communities
and perform road tests, so that those communities do not end up
on the list of off-highway communities.
MS. WILBUR offered that the 12-month period does not represent
the length of time the OHDL is valid, but refers to the length
of time that a community can be without a DMV or road test
before it becomes eligible for OHDLs. She added that if DMV
closed its office in a community, it would have 12 months either
to fly someone out to offer road tests in the community, reopen
the DMV office, or make the community eligible for OHDLs.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS removed his objection to Amendment 1.
There being no further objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS opened public testimony on HB 82.
3:28:49 PM
HEATHER POWELL testified that she strongly supports OHDLs for
Alaska's rural communities. She expressed her belief that the
voices of the residents of rural communities should be heard.
She maintained that there are many state and federal roads
leading to fishing and subsistence areas, which residents rely
on to live traditionally. She asserted that the community is a
large family, in which people rely upon each other. They work
together to gain access to these areas and to be safe while
doing that. She stated, "We need to be able to support our
youth and let them feel comfortable, as they work toward the
ability to become regularly licensed."
MS. POWELL mentioned that there are costs associated with being
off the road system and living in a rural area, which are far
greater than the costs incurred by people on the road system
with a DMV available to them. She cited the costs of ferry
tickets and housing, and she mentioned that sometimes the AMHS
does not accommodate the needs of rural residents. She
maintained that providing OHDLs to residents supports rural
communities and offers a safer alternative to no license at all.
She added that OHDLs offer residents the opportunity to function
within their communities, not just in a safe manner, but in a
manner that allows them to "live the life this land provides."
She maintained that the OHDL is a tool that will make residents
successful, and she strongly supports that. She stated that
there are many reasons for upholding rural communities, and
absolutely one of them is safety.
3:32:04 PM
MARLA HOWARD, Kake City Council, testified that HB 82 is wanted
by Kake residents and would be utilized. She stated that she
knows residents who have traveled to obtain driver's licenses,
and she knows some who cannot afford to do so but drive anyway.
She mentioned that considering the expense of travel and the
uncertain future of the AMHS, the proposed legislation would
offer a small gesture to aid the poor, economy-stricken
villages. Residents pay the highest rates for food, fuel, and
electricity. She urged the committee to pass HB 82.
3:33:48 PM
KEN SKAFELSTAD, Mayor, City of Hoonah, testified that he
believes HB 82 would benefit rural communities and urged the
committee to pass it out of committee. He maintained that the
proposed legislation presents a common-sense approach to
alleviating a difficult situation for residents.
3:35:28 PM
REPRESENTATIVE WOOL asked whether most Hoonah residents have
full driver's licenses and if HB 82 would affect only a minority
of people who find it difficult to access a DMV.
MR. SKAFELSTAD expressed his belief that HB 82 would affect a
significant number of people. He relayed that most residents
have full driver's licenses, but in obtaining those licenses,
they have experienced delay, expense, and inconvenience. He
attested that it is consequential not to have an able-bodied
driver to legally contribute to the economic opportunities at
hand. The OHDL helps young people learn to drive responsibly by
allowing them to legally drive in the off-road setting as they
acquaint themselves with driving. When a young person must wait
months and years to obtain a driver's license, it creates a
gaping hole adversely affecting that person's ability to take
advantage of opportunities. He added that OHDLs provide
commercial advantages to the community without creating any
deficits to the state.
3:38:41 PM
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS closed public testimony on HB 82.
3:38:54 PM
The committee took a brief at-ease at 3:38 p.m.
3:38:59 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK asked for an explanation of the $66,200 on
the attached fiscal note for HB 82.
3:39:54 PM
MS. JOHNSON stated that she does not have a copy of the fiscal
note and is unable to comment.
3:40:18 PM
AUDREY O'BRIEN, Driver Services - Juneau, Division of Motor
Vehicles (DMV), Department of Administration (DOA), also
responded that she does not have access to the fiscal note to be
able to comment on it.
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK asked if requiring residents to obtain
driver's licenses in the communities that were no longer OHDL-
eligible increased the DMV budget or reduced the budget. He
offered that a positive fiscal note implies that there were
savings at some point during the time the change in OHDL
eligibility was implemented.
CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS responded that he believes there will be a
revision to the fiscal note that will "zero it out."
3:42:01 PM
MS. O'BRIEN stated that through contact with the director of the
DMV, she can confirm that there will be a zero-fiscal note.
3:42:30 PM
REPRESENTATIVE TUCK moved to report HB 82, as amended, out of
committee with individual recommendations and a forthcoming zero
fiscal note. There being no objection, CSHB 82(STA) was
reported out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB046 Letter 3.8.17.pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2017 3:00:00 PM |
SB 46 |
| HB074 Real ID Act Letter of Support Fairbanks Ch Comm 03 07 17.pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2017 3:00:00 PM |
HB 74 |
| HB 082 Draft Proposed Amendment D.1 3.13.17.pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2017 3:00:00 PM |
HB 82 |
| HB 74 REAL ID FAQ 3.14.17.pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2017 3:00:00 PM |
HB 74 |
| State-Fed Docs Comparison.pdf |
HSTA 3/14/2017 3:00:00 PM |
HB 74 |