04/19/2007 01:30 PM House TRANSPORTATION

HJR 18-OPPOSE FED AVIATION FUEL TAX INCREASE                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
1:41:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR JOHANSEN announced  that the final order  of business would                                                               
be HOUSE JOINT  RESOLUTION NO. 18, Opposing the  enactment of the                                                               
provisions   in  the   Next   Generation  Transportation   System                                                               
Financing  Reform Act  of 2007  that increase  aviation fuel  and                                                               
aviation gas taxes.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:42:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  NEUMAN  moved  to  adopt CSHJR  18,  Version  25-                                                               
LS0830\M, Kane,  4/18/07, as the  working document.   There being                                                               
no objection, Version M was before the committee.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:42:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SONIA  CHRISTENSON,  Staff  to  Representative  Johansen,  Alaska                                                               
State  Legislature, pointed  out  that the  first  change can  be                                                               
found  on  page  2,  line  12,  where  the  language  "and  would                                                               
implement  fees with  the National  Airspace  System" was  added.                                                               
The language  on page 2,  from lines 14-16  was added as  was the                                                               
language  "and   federal  oversight   of  the   Federal  Aviation                                                               
Administration" on line  24.  These were the  changes proposed by                                                               
the Alaska Air Carriers Association, she noted.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:43:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DOOGAN  surmised  then   that  the  title  change                                                               
reflects the addition of the FAA sections.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS. CHRISTENSON replied yes.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:44:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
WILFRED RYAN, President, Alaska  Air Carriers Association (AACA);                                                               
President,    Arctic   Transportation    Services,   noted    his                                                               
appreciation for  the changes in  Version M and  recommended that                                                               
it be forwarded.   Mr. Ryan said, "While we  cannot fully support                                                               
the  fuel tax  issue, we  can  join you  to oppose  any user  fee                                                               
associated with the  use of the National Airspace  System and the                                                               
removal of Congressional oversight over the FAA."                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:45:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR JOHANSEN, upon  determining no one else  wished to testify,                                                               
closed public testimony.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:45:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE NEUMAN moved to report CSHJR 18, Version 25-                                                                     
LS0830\M,  Kane,  4/18/07,  out   of  committee  with  individual                                                               
recommendations and  the accompanying fiscal notes.   There being                                                               
no  objection,   CSHJR  18(TRA)  was  reported   from  the  House                                                               
Transportation Standing Committee.