05/08/2002 09:31 AM Senate RLS

SENATOR COWDERY  moved to calendar CSHB 397(STA)-  EXEMPTIONS FROM                                                          
DRIVER'S LICENSING and its three  accompanying fiscal notes at the                                                          
Chairman's discretion.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELLIS  said it  was his understanding  that this  bill was                                                              
held up for further amending.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS  said it is the  policy of the Chairman,  if the                                                              
sponsor  objects to  the amendments,  to let  the bill  go to  the                                                              
floor where amendments can be offered.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT said he was considering  offering an amendment.                                                              
He told  Representative  Kohring, sponsor  of HB  397, that  he is                                                              
personally  torn on  this bill  because  as a  child he  delivered                                                              
newspapers   via  snowmachine   in   the   winter.  However,   his                                                              
snowmachine wasn't a fuel-injected  rocket on skis. HB 397 removes                                                              
any kind of requirement  for operation of a snow  machine. He said                                                              
he is concerned  about 12 and  13 year olds driving  machines that                                                              
weight thousands  of pounds  that travel  at 70  and 80  miles per                                                              
hour. He asked what should be done  about when parents allow their                                                              
children to use those machines recklessly.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KOHRING  said that  violating  property rights  or                                                              
reckless endangerment  is more  of an  enforcement issue  and that                                                              
law enforcement  officers will  have to be  attentive to  that. HB
 simply  eliminates the  need for a  driver's license.  He does                                                              
not see  how getting a driver's  license, which  proves competency                                                              
to drive  a car on a  city street, as  being germane to  driving a                                                              
snowmachine out  in the woods.  He suggested the  legislature look                                                              
at  legislation  in the  future  that  deals with  safety  issues,                                                              
similar  to Representative  Hudson's  bill on  boating safety.  He                                                              
noted   the  Alaska   Snowmobile   Representatives'  Alliance   is                                                              
suggesting something along that line  be done in state regulations                                                              
and certification.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COWDERY  said the question  of what to  do with a  13 year                                                              
old who gets on a missile was raised  in the Senate Transportation                                                              
Committee. He said  the same issue occurs when a  13 year old gets                                                              
in  a  parent's car.  He  said  he  believes  it is  the  parents'                                                              
responsibility  to see that  doesn't happen.  He pointed  out that                                                              
this [amendment]  could affect battery operated  four wheelers for                                                              
toddlers.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  ELLIS said  he believes  CSHB 397(STA)  is an  incomplete                                                              
package. He  hears from  the medical  professionals who  deal with                                                              
the  "kids  on the  missiles"  with  traumatic head  injuries.  He                                                              
stated  he wishes  there  was an  effort to  address  some of  the                                                              
safety concerns  in this  bill. He added  that the boating  safety                                                              
legislation took almost 20 years  to pass and it applied primarily                                                              
to adults.  He hopes the sponsor  will give more  consideration to                                                              
minimal safety requirements.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN  PHILLIPS said  he shares  Senator  Ellis's concerns  and                                                              
that  two or  three  amendments will  be  proposed  on the  Senate                                                              
floor.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  ELLIS  noted objection  to  Senator Cowdery's  motion  to                                                              
calendar CSHB 397(STA).                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN PHILLIPS  announced that  the motion  to calendar  HB 397                                                              
carried with  Senators Therriault,  Cowdery and Phillips  in favor                                                              
and Senator Ellis opposed.