04/08/2013 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 85                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to experimental vehicles."                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:55:18 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BRITTANY HUTCHISON,  STAFF, SENATOR CLICK  BISHOP, explained                                                                    
the difference between  SB 85 and CS SB 85  (TRA). She noted                                                                    
that the  words "cold weather"  on page one were  removed to                                                                    
allow Alaska  to welcome all  types of vehicle  testing. She                                                                    
stated that Alaska  was marketed as a  reliable location for                                                                    
cold   weather  testing.   Currently  no   statutes  existed                                                                    
regarding registration for  experimental vehicles. She noted                                                                    
that one  company testing vehicles  was stopped  by troopers                                                                    
and asked  to register and  title their vehicles,  which was                                                                    
not desirable or  possible in Alaska. The  Division of Motor                                                                    
Vehicles  (DMV)  lacked   statutory  authority  to  register                                                                    
experimental vehicles.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Ms. Hutchison  continued that SB  85 would allow the  DMV to                                                                    
issue   experimental   plates    to   vehicle   manufacturer                                                                    
distributers  for  vehicle  testing.   The  plate  would  be                                                                    
valuable for  a 12 month period  and could be renewed  up to                                                                    
two times for a total  of 36 months. Following completion of                                                                    
the  experiment,  the vehicles  must  then  be destroyed  or                                                                    
taken out of the state.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Meyer  noted   that   multiple  testifiers   were                                                                    
available  online for  questions. He  appreciated the  self-                                                                    
explanatory nature of the bill. He OPENED public testimony.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:58:02 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JIM  DODSON,  PRESIDENT,   FAIRBANKS  ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT,                                                                    
FAIRBANKS (via  teleconference), testified in support  of SB
.  He  stated  that  Fairbanks  Economic  Development  had                                                                    
marketed to the cold-weather  testing industry for 20 years.                                                                    
He  noted  that  the   emerging  industry  was  diversifying                                                                    
Alaska's economy.  He pointed out that  the industry created                                                                    
more  than $500  million  worth of  economic activity  along                                                                    
with more than 300 jobs.  He claimed that Alaska offered the                                                                    
reliability, accessibility and  affordability needed for the                                                                    
industry. He noted that Alaska  had the greatest opportunity                                                                    
to advance its local economy.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Meyer CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
10:00:02 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Meyer pointed  out the  zero fiscal  note. He  was                                                                    
happy for  the opportunity  to hear the  bill in  the Senate                                                                    
Finance Committee.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
10:00:28 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Kelly  MOVED to  REPORT  CS  SB  85 (TRA)  out  of                                                                    
committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal note.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CS SB  85 (TRA)  was REPORTED  out of  committee with  a "do                                                                    
pass"  recommendation  and  with previously  published  zero                                                                    
fiscal note: FN1 (ADM).                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
10:01:01 AM                                                                                                                   
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
10:02:35 AM                                                                                                                   
RECONVENED