03/18/2025 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS

                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
    HOUSE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                   
                         March 18, 2025                                                                                         
                           8:04 a.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Rebecca Himschoot, Co-Chair                                                                                      
Representative Donna Mears, Co-Chair                                                                                            
Representative Carolyn Hall                                                                                                     
Representative Ky Holland                                                                                                       
Representative Mike Prax                                                                                                        
Representative Justin Ruffridge                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
All members present                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 58                                                                                                               
"An Act relating to the office of public advocacy; and relating                                                                 
to the public advocate."                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     - MOVED HB 58 OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 26                                                                                                               
"An Act relating to the duties of the Department of                                                                             
Transportation and Public Facilities; and relating to a                                                                         
statewide public and community transit plan."                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     - HEARD & HELD                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 50                                                                                                               
"An Act relating to snow classics."                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     - MOVED HB 50 OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 47                                                                                                               
"An Act  relating to  crime and  criminal procedure;  relating to                                                               
generated obscene  child sexual  abuse material; relating  to the                                                               
powers of  district judges and magistrates;  relating to teaching                                                               
certificates; and relating to licensing of school bus drivers."                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     - BILL HEARING CANCELED                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
BILL: HB  58                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: OPA: PUBLIC ADVOCATE APPOINTMENT                                                                                   
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) FIELDS                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
01/22/25       (H)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        

01/22/25       (H)       CRA, STA                                                                                               
03/11/25       (H)       CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124                                                                              
03/11/25       (H)       Heard & Held                                                                                           
03/11/25       (H)       MINUTE(CRA)                                                                                            
03/13/25       (H)       CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124                                                                              
03/13/25       (H)       Heard & Held                                                                                           
03/13/25       (H)       MINUTE(CRA)                                                                                            
03/18/25       (H)       CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
BILL: HB  26                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: STATEWIDE PUBLIC & COMMUNITY TRANSIT PLAN                                                                          
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) MINA                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                

01/22/25       (H)       PREFILE RELEASED 1/10/25                                                                               

01/22/25       (H)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        

01/22/25       (H)       CRA, TRA                                                                                               
02/27/25       (H)       CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124                                                                              
02/27/25       (H)       Heard & Held                                                                                           
02/27/25       (H)       MINUTE(CRA)                                                                                            
03/18/25       (H)       CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
BILL: HB  50                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: SNOW CLASSICS                                                                                                      
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) HANNAN                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                

01/22/25       (H)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        

01/22/25       (H)       CRA, L&C                                                                                               
03/11/25       (H)       CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124                                                                              
03/11/25       (H)       Heard & Held                                                                                           
03/11/25       (H)       MINUTE(CRA)                                                                                            
03/13/25       (H)       CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124                                                                              
03/13/25       (H)       Heard & Held                                                                                           
03/13/25       (H)       MINUTE(CRA)                                                                                            
03/18/25       (H)       CRA AT 8:00 AM BARNES 124                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ZACK FIELDS                                                                                                      
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:  As prime sponsor, gave final comment on HB
.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GENEVIEVE MINA                                                                                                   
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:  As prime sponsor, gave an overview of HB
.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
GERRY HOPE, Government Relations Director                                                                                       
Sitka Tribe of Alaska                                                                                                           
Sitka, Alaska                                                                                                                   
POSITION STATEMENT:  Gave invited testimony during the hearing                                                                
on HB 26.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
KIM CHAMPNEY, Executive Director                                                                                                
Alaska Association on Developmental Disabilities                                                                                
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:  Testified in support of HB 26.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MILLIE RYAN, President                                                                                                          
Alaska Mobility Coalition                                                                                                       
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:  Testified in support of HB 26.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
PATRICK REINHART, Executive Director                                                                                            
Governor's Council on Disabilities & Special Education                                                                          
Homer, Alaska                                                                                                                   
POSITION STATEMENT:  Testified in support of HB 26.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MICHELE GIRAULT, Executive Director                                                                                             
Hope Community Resources;                                                                                                       
Board President, Key Coalition                                                                                                  
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT:  Testified in support of HB 26.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
BRIDGER REED-LEWIS, representing self                                                                                           
Anchorage, Alaska                                                                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT:  Testified in support of HB 26.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
HUNTER MEECHUM, Staff                                                                                                           
Representative Sara Hannan                                                                                                      
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:  Gave final comment on HB 50 on behalf of                                                                 
Representative Hannan, prime sponsor.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:04:45 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DONNA  MEARS  called   the  House  Community  and                                                             
Regional  Affairs Standing  Committee  meeting to  order at  8:04                                                               
a.m.   Representatives Hall, Holland,  Himschoot, and  Mears were                                                               
present  at  the  call  to   order.    Representatives  Prax  and                                                               
Ruffridge arrived as the meeting was in progress.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
            HB  58-OPA: PUBLIC ADVOCATE APPOINTMENT                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:05:42 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MEARS announced  that the first order  of business would                                                               
be HOUSE  BILL NO. 58, "An  Act relating to the  office of public                                                               
advocacy; and relating to the public advocate."                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:06:08 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ZACK  FIELDS, Alaska  State Legislature,  as prime                                                               
sponsor,  stated that  HB 58  would make  the appointment  of the                                                               
public advocate (PA)  analogous to the appointment  of the public                                                               
defender (PD).                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HOLLAND said  he'd  received a  modest amount  of                                                               
input  and  much   support  on  the  efforts   to  harmonize  the                                                               
appointment processes.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
8:06:51 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR HIMSCHOOT  moved to report  HB 58 out of  committee with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  the  accompanying fiscal  notes.                                                               
There being  no objection, HB  58 was  reported out of  the House                                                               
Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:07:34 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 8:07 a.m. to 8:09 a.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
        HB  26-STATEWIDE PUBLIC & COMMUNITY TRANSIT PLAN                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:09:50 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MEARS  announced that the  next order of  business would                                                               
be  HOUSE BILL  NO. 26,  "An Act  relating to  the duties  of the                                                               
Department of Transportation and  Public Facilities; and relating                                                               
to a statewide public and community transit plan."                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:10:20 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GENEVIEVE  MINA,  Alaska  State  Legislature,  as                                                               
prime sponsor, gave  a recap of HB  26.  She said  the bill seeks                                                               
to   modernize  the   Department  of   Transportation  &   Public                                                               
Facilities' (DOT&PF) duties  to reflect the needs  of Alaskans by                                                               
broadening their  study of  transportation options  and improving                                                               
their public  engagement process to specifically  focus on public                                                               
transit.   It would  help the department  be more  multi-modal in                                                               
their planning efforts.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:11:00 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  HOLLAND  asked  whether there  had  been  further                                                               
discussion  about  the  Alaska  Marine  Highway  System's  (AMHS)                                                               
infrastructure and its connection to the bill.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MINA reminded  the committee  that AMHS  is in  a                                                               
different section  of statute; nonetheless, she  acknowledged its                                                               
importance to the state.  She deferred the question to Mr. Hope.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:12:52 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
GERRY  HOPE,  Government  Relations   Director,  Sitka  Tribe  of                                                               
Alaska, shared  his understanding that  AMHS is included,  as the                                                               
bill  makes  reference to  state  highways,  vessels, docks,  and                                                               
floats, for example [in paragraph  (7)], and "public, tribal, and                                                               
community  transit programs"  [in paragraph  (1)].   He said  the                                                               
bill would  give tribal  and public transit  operators a  seat at                                                               
the table.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:15:51 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MEARS opened public testimony on HB 26.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:16:29 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KIM   CHAMPNEY,  Executive   Director,   Alaska  Association   on                                                               
Developmental Disabilities, testified  in support of HB  26.  She                                                               
said  the bill  would enhance  statewide transportation  planning                                                               
and  provide an  innovative  transportation  solution for  people                                                               
with disabilities to increase their  independence and allow human                                                               
service  providers to  focus on  more complex  needs.   She added                                                               
that expanded independence  would sustain the system  with a more                                                               
effective use of resources.  She shared a personal anecdote.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:19:04 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MILLIE RYAN,  President, Alaska Mobility Coalition,  testified in                                                               
support for HB 26.  She  reminded the committee that driving is a                                                               
privilege  that's  often  taken   for  granted.    She  expressed                                                               
excitement for the planning aspect  of the bill, which would make                                                               
better  use  of  available  resources,   and  advocated  for  the                                                               
inclusion  of   community  transportation  and  transit   in  the                                                               
planning process.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:20:29 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PATRICK  REINHART,  Executive  Director,  Governor's  Council  on                                                               
Disabilities  & Special  Education, testified  in support  HB 26.                                                               
He said many of the people  he works with are dependent on others                                                               
for  rides, and  the  bill  would prompt  the  state to  consider                                                               
different modes of transportation.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:21:32 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. HOPE reiterated his support for the bill.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
8:22:02 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MICHELE  GIRAULT, Executive  Director, Hope  Community Resources;                                                               
Board President,  Key Coalition, testified  in support of  HB 26.                                                               
She said  access to transportation  was named  as one of  the top                                                               
three  barriers  for people  with  disabilities.   She  expressed                                                               
support for  anything that  innovates transportation  and expands                                                               
access  to jobs,  community, friends,  and  family, and  provides                                                               
access to transportation as the population ages.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:22:58 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
BRIDGER REED-LEWIS,  representing self,  testified in  support of                                                               
HB  26.   He shared  that  as someone  with a  disability, he  is                                                               
unable  to drive  and  had to  move to  Anchorage  for access  to                                                               
paratransit services.   He advocated  for the expansion  of these                                                               
services and  spoke to the  efficacy of  the U-Pass program.   He                                                               
suggested  amending the  bill  to offer  two  roundtrip rides  to                                                               
stores  for those  on food  stamps and  the Special  Supplemental                                                               
Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MEARS closed public testimony on HB 26.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
8:26:03 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MEARS  closed public  testimony on  HB 26  and announced                                                               
that the bill was held over.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
                      HB  50-SNOW CLASSICS                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
8:26:38 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR MEARS announced  that the final order  of business would                                                               
be HOUSE BILL NO. 50, "An Act relating to snow classics."                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:27:06 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HUNTER MEECHUM,  Staff, Representative Sara Hannan,  Alaska State                                                               
Legislature, on  behalf of Representative Hannan,  prime sponsor,                                                               
said HB 50  broadens the definition of a "snow  classic" to allow                                                               
any qualified organization to host or administer the event.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:27:37 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  MEARS moved  to  report  HB 50  out  of committee  with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  the  accompanying fiscal  notes.                                                               
There being  no objection, HB  50 was  reported out of  the House                                                               
Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:28:23 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
There being no  further business before the  committee, the House                                                               
Community  and Regional  Affairs Standing  Committee meeting  was                                                               
adjourned at 8:28 a.m.