Legislature(2003 - 2004)
03/30/2004 01:45 PM House TRA
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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= bill was previously heard/scheduled
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE
March 30, 2004
1:45 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Jim Holm, Chair
Representative Beverly Masek
Representative Vic Kohring
Representative Dan Ogg
Representative Nick Stepovich
Representative Mary Kapsner
Representative Albert Kookesh
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 327(STA)
"An Act relating to pedestrians using rollerblades, roller
skates, and rollerskis."
- MOVED CSSB 327(STA) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 327
SHORT TITLE: ROLLERBLADES, ROLLER SKATES, ROLLER SKIS
SPONSOR(S): SENATOR(S) SEEKINS
02/13/04 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/13/04 (S) STA, FIN
02/26/04 (S) STA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 211
02/26/04 (S) Moved CSSB 327(STA) Out of Committee
02/26/04 (S) MINUTE(STA)
02/27/04 (S) STA RPT 3DP 1NR NEW TITLE
02/27/04 (S) DP: STEVENS G, COWDERY, STEDMAN;
02/27/04 (S) NR: HOFFMAN
03/17/04 (S) FIN REFERRAL WAIVED
03/19/04 (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)
03/19/04 (S) VERSION: CSSB 327(STA)
03/22/04 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/22/04 (H) TRA, STA
03/30/04 (H) TRA AT 1:30 PM CAPITOL 17
WITNESS REGISTER
SENATOR RALPH SEEKINS
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of SB 327.
ALLEN STOREY, Lieutenant
Central Office
Division of Alaska State Troopers
Department of Public Safety (DPS)
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified on SB 327.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 04-11, SIDE A
Number 0001
CHAIR JIM HOLM called the House Transportation Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:45 p.m. Representatives Holm,
Masek, Stepovich, Kohring, Kapsner, and Kookesh were present at
the call to order. Representative Ogg arrived as the meeting
was in progress.
SB 327-ROLLERBLADES,ROLLER SKATES, ROLLER SKIS
CHAIR HOLM announced that the only order of business would be CS
FOR SENATE BILL NO. 327(STA), "An Act relating to pedestrians
using rollerblades, roller skates, and rollerskis."
Number 0071
SENATOR RALPH SEEKINS, Alaska State Legislature, sponsor of SB
327, paraphrased from the following written sponsor statement
[original punctuation provided]:
For many years roller-skiers' legal use of public
roadways was, more or less, taken for granted. This
assumption was successfully challenged in the
Fairbanks area last fall. Senate Bill 327 seeks to
remedy this situation by specifically allowing the use
of particular wheeled devices on those public roadways
also available to bicyclists. It also recommends a
set of safety standards for the use of these devices.
Alaska is home to some of the best international,
national, collegiate, and junior cross-country skiers
on the planet. In fact, seven of the ten Alaskans
competing in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake
City were cross-country skiers. Imagine that. Seven
Olympic cross-country skiers from such a small state
as ours! This speaks volumes not only about our
skiers' work ethic but also their training
opportunities.
The natural preference of many of these world-class
athletes would, no doubt, have Alaska covered in snow
year-round. Since this is not a reasonable near-term
possibility, the use of wheeled skis to imitate snow
skiing has grown to become an effective training tool
for use during non-winter months. What's more, Alaska
is becoming well known nationally and internationally
as a favored summer-time training site.
For these reasons, it is the intent of the proposed
legislation to accommodate this seasonal use of some
of our roadways. In fact, other northern locales -
such as Norway, Sweden and Canada - have, for many
years, supported the efforts of their cross-country
athletes with similar provisions. Furthermore, the
proposed legislation borrows heavily from Cross
Country Canada's policy respecting the use of roller-
skis on public roads.
Senate Bill 327 seeks to accommodate this important
training activity by utilizing safe and reasonable
methods for sharing roadway surfaces with motorized
vehicles. It has garnered a groundswell of support
throughout the cross-country community ranging from
Alaska's Interior region to Southcentral to the Kenai
Peninsula.
The 2006 Winter Olympic games are just around the
corner. Would it be too much to expect seven (or
more) of our cross-country skiers to make the trip to
Torin, Italy? Of course not! In fact, a little
courtesy and common sense combined with a small
statutory revision can help make it happen.
Number 0374
CHAIR HOLM asked if the sponsor intended for the roller[skiing]
to occur only in the summer.
SENATOR SEEKINS replied yes. He pointed out that SB 327
authorizes the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to promulgate
regulations to help eliminate conflicts where possible. In
response to Representative Masek, Senator Seekins explained that
rollerskis have the same binding as a cross-country ski with a
wheel in the front and the back [of the ski]. The same motions
can be used for roller skiing as cross-country skiing, and
therefore the same muscles are being trained year round. He
reviewed some of the regulations specified in SB 327, which he
characterized as common sense.
Number 0531
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER noted that rollerskis would be allowed on
bike paths. She asked if rollerskis would be allowed on the
side of the road.
SENATOR SEEKINS explained that rollerskis only work on hard-
packed surfaces.
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER informed the committee that there aren't
any bike paths in Bethel, and therefore she was trying to
envision someone going down a very narrow, bumpy paved road.
SENATOR SEEKINS said that he believes the rollerskis could be
used successfully on such a surface.
REPRESENTATIVE KAPSNER opined that it seems like a hazard if
there aren't bike paths for roller skiers to use.
SENATOR SEEKINS acknowledged that bike paths can eliminate some
of the hazards, but he said that roller skiers pose the same
hazard as bicyclists.
Number 0620
REPRESENTATIVE OGG turned to the last clause of the legislation,
which read: "stay to the far right and restrict movements when
being passed by a motor vehicle." He questioned the
enforceability of that, and questioned whether it may be a bit
ambiguous.
SENATOR SEEKINS agreed that it may be a bit ambiguous, which is
why he is thinking of including language regarding the
department promulgating regulations. He reiterated his desire
for folks to use common sense.
REPRESENTATIVE STEPOVICH noted that the language in driving
manuals is "show caution."
Number 0753
ALLEN STOREY, Lieutenant, Central Office, Division of Alaska
State Troopers, Department of Public Safety (DPS), said that the
department stands ready to work with the sponsor should this
legislation become law. He related support for the state's
athletes. Lieutenant Storey expressed concern with regard to
the age and the experience level of some of the individuals
involved in these activities, and the space necessary to perform
these activities. He said he wants to ensure that the traffic
is safe and that drivers don't overreact when encountering
pedestrians using rollerblades, roller skates, and rollerskis.
If there is a group interested in these activities, he expressed
interest in hearing from them regarding how to address the
aforementioned issues.
Number 0915
REPRESENTATIVE MASEK moved to report CSSB 327(STA) out of
committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying
fiscal notes. There being no objection, it was so ordered.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Transportation Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 2:00
p.m.
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