HOUSE BILL NO. 407                                                           
                                                                               
       "An Act relating to issuance of commemorative gold rush                 
       motor vehicle license plates."                                          
                                                                               
  Co-Chair  Larson  noted  that CSHB  407  (STA)  authorizes a                 
  license plate  to be designed  to commemorate the  gold rush                 
  period of the state.                                                         
                                                                               
  JAUNITA  HENSLEY, CHIEF  DRIVER SERVICES, DIVISION  OF MOTOR                 
  VEHICLES, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC FACILITIES                 
  explained  that  CSHB 407  (STA)  would replace  the general                 
  issue  plate with the  commemorative gold  rush plate.   She                 
  noted that  the original bill would authorize  the design of                 
  an additional gold rush commemorative  plate.  She explained                 
  that HB 407 would require an additional inventory of plates.                 
  She observed that the Division of Motor Vehicles proposed to                 
  make the gold rush design plate  the general issue plate for                 
  four years.   The House State Affairs Committee  amended the                 
  Division's  proposal  to  make  the   gold  rush  plate  the                 
  permanent general issue plate.                                               
                                                                               
  Co-Chair MacLean and Representative Hanley spoke in favor of                 
  the original version of HB 407.                                              
                                                                               
  Ms. Hensley noted that vanity plates  cost between $6.50 and                 
  $8.00 dollars  for a set.   She  observed that a  $30 dollar                 
  vanity   plate  fee  would  cover  the  cost  of  the  plate                 
  issuances.                                                                   
                                                                               
  Representatives Parnell and  Martin spoke in support  of the                 
  original version of HB 407.                                                  
                                                                               
  Ms. Hensley clarified that gold rush centennial celebrations                 
  begin in 1996  and continue for  ten years to cover  all the                 
                                                                               
                                8                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  gold discoveries in Alaska.                                                  
                                                                               
  Representative  Brown asked  the  status  of the  Division's                 
  attempt to redesign  the general issue  plate.  Ms.  Hensley                 
  noted that the Division's efforts to change the plate failed                 
  in the previous  legislature.  She stated  that the Division                 
  has no intention to redesign the general issue plate.                        
                                                                               
  Co-Chair  Larson spoke in support of the original version of                 
  HB 407.                                                                      
                                                                               
  Representative  Foster MOVED to  report HB  407, with  a $30                 
  vanity fee, out of Committee with individual recommendations                 
  and with the  accompanying fiscal  note.  Members  indicated                 
  their approval of the $30 dollar  vanity fee for issuance of                 
  commemorative gold rush plates.                                              
                                                                               
  Representative Brown questioned if language would be  needed                 
  to place the  commemorative gold rush  plates in the  vanity                 
  fee list in AS 28.10.421 at $30.0 dollars.                                   
                                                                               
  Discussion pursued regarding  the need to draft  a committee                 
  substitute to  establish a  fee for  the commemorative  gold                 
  rush plate.                                                                  
                                                                               
  HB 407 was HELD in Committee for further discussion.