02/04/2014 03:30 PM Senate COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB123 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 123 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE
February 4, 2014
3:34 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Peter Micciche, Chair
Senator Cathy Giessel, Vice Chair
Senator Dennis Egan
Senator Click Bishop
Senator Lyman Hoffman
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 123
"An Act authorizing a municipality to adopt an ordinance
prohibiting the use of cellular telephones while driving in
school zones or on school property."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 123
SHORT TITLE: PROHIBIT USE OF CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) MEYER
01/22/14 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/22/14 (S) CRA
02/04/14 (S) CRA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
WITNESS REGISTER
SENATOR KEVIN MEYER
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of SB 123.
ACTION NARRATIVE
3:34:52 PM
CHAIR PETER MICCICHE called the Senate Community and Regional
Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:34 p.m. Present
at the call to order were Senators Giessel, Egan, Bishop and
Chair Micciche.
SB 123-PROHIBIT USE OF CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING
3:36:15 PM
CHAIR MICCICHE announced that SB 123 was up for consideration.
SENATOR KEVIN MEYER, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska,
sponsor of SB 123, explained the bill authorizes municipalities
to adopt an ordinance prohibiting the use of cell phones while
driving in school zones or property and that this is simply
enabling legislation. Currently, Title 28 requires traffic laws
to be uniform throughout the state, and requires a municipality
to demonstrate a need to pass a local ordinance that may not be
needed statewide. SB 123 would remove that burden.
This issue was brought to his attention by a constituent, Mr.
Wight, who initially brought it to the City of Anchorage over
three years ago where he was rear-ended in a school zone area by
someone who was talking on his cell phone. He had to stop
abruptly because a child was running across the street. Senator
Meyer said one of the biggest concerns in Anchorage schools is
when parents drop kids off at school; they run all over the
place and the parents are sometimes distracted.
SENATOR MEYER said the Assembly worked with Mr. Wight, but found
out that they needed the state to pass enabling legislation.
This was a priority of the City of Anchorage last year, but they
weren't able to deal with it then. He noted that the legislation
is not a mandate and the ordinances can be tailored a
community's needs. It still has to go through the local public
process, the Assembly and the mayor.
He said that current texting laws do not include cell phones and
that's why this is needed. SB 123 has no fiscal note.
3:38:57 PM
SENATOR HOFFMAN joined the committee.
3:39:28 PM
CHAIR MICCICHE noted a letter from Mr. Wight in their packets.
He opened the meeting to questions from the committee. Finding
no questions, he thanked Senator Meyer for bringing this issue
forward.
3:40:54 PM
CHAIR MICCICHE opened public testimony and said that Mr. Wight
wanted to testify, but wouldn't be able to do that today. So he
would leave it open.
SENATOR MEYER noted that he was also expecting a letter from the
Assembly chairman.
SENATOR MICCICHE said he personally supported SB 123.
[SB 123 was held in committee.]
3:41:40 PM
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Micciche adjourned the Senate Community and Regional
Affairs Committee at 3:41 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SB 123 version A.pdf |
SCRA 2/4/2014 3:30:00 PM |
SB 123 |
| SB 123 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SCRA 2/4/2014 3:30:00 PM |
SB 123 |
| SB 123 Fiscal Note-DPS-DET 1-31-14.pdf |
SCRA 2/4/2014 3:30:00 PM |
SB 123 |
| SB 123 - Support - David Wight email 2-1-14.pdf |
SCRA 2/4/2014 3:30:00 PM |
SB 123 |