1:39:42 PM HOUSE BILL NO. 245 An Act relating to registration and license plate fees for Purple Heart recipients, prisoners of war, Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, and spouses of current prisoners of war. REPRESENTATIVE BOB LYNN, SPONSOR, stated that the bill would allow the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to design and issue special registration plates for one noncommercial motor vehicle to a person who has been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. He stated that those people have already paid a high price and should receive that honor. Representative Lynn added that the spouses also serve in a different way. The plate would be for both parties. He urged favorable consideration of the bill. 1:42:59 PM DUANE BANNOCK, (TESTIFIED VIA TELECONFERENCE), DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES (DMV), DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION, ANCHORAGE, offered to answer questions regarding the impact of the legislation. 1:44:33 PM Vice Chair Stoltze asked if there were any Pearl Harbor survivors still alive. Mr. Bannock thought that there were seven registered survivors in Alaska; that information was taken from 2004 data. In 2004, there were a total of 18 vehicles registered with that classification. 1:45:55 PM GORDON SEVERSON, (TESTIFIED VIA TELECONFERENCE), ANCHORAGE MUNICIPAL MILITARY & VETERANS COMMISSION, CHAPTER 675, ANCHORAGE, encouraged passage of the legislation. He noted that he already has a Purple Heart license plate but that the legislation would benefit other Purple Heart recipients within the State. Additionally, the legislation recognizes wounded Iraqi veterans. He suggested that those people would be privileged to be recognized in such a manner. He urged passage of HB 245. 1:48:34 PM ED KNOEBEL, (TESTIFIED VIA TELECONFERENCE), GLENNALLEN, encouraged passage of the legislation and offered to help with design of the plates. He indicated that he was a World War II veteran with a Purple Heart. He stated that there are a total of 6,000 Purple Heart members throughout the country with 30 or 40 living in Alaska. 1:51:06 PM Co-Chair Meyer asked if there would be a one-time charge of $5,000 dollar for the new plate. Representative Lynn said that was correct and thought that cost was excessive. 1:52:18 PM Mr. Bannock explained that the $5,000 dollars would include a couple different items. He added that any change made to the current computer system requires many hours of work. The system is very old and every license plate is assigned for every type of classification of automobile. The system is not easily amended and the proposed cost includes redesign charges. Those license plates are designed and ordered on an individual basis, which increases a little, the per plate cost. 1:53:55 PM Co-Chair Meyer pointed out that there are no Prisoners of War (POW) or spouses of current POW's at this time in Alaska. He asked if the plate must be designed at this time. Mr. Bannock informed members that currently, there are a POW license plate. What is being proposed is who would be entitled to receive free registration. Those persons would qualify for the free registration if they were a spouse of a current prisoner of war. Representative Lynn acknowledged that was the intent. Representative Holm inquired if there already exists a metal of honor plate. 1:55:22 PM Mr. Bannock replied that there is not one and would need to be designed. That person would not pay for both the plate and/or the vehicle registration. Representative Holm inquired if there were current metal of honor residents in Alaska. Mr. Bannock did not know. 1:55:56 PM Representative Holm asked how much it would cost to design a plate. Mr. Bannock replied that number was variable depending on the rendition. He recommended that a group be assigned to design the plate, keeping the cost around $500 dollars for a sample plate. 1:56:56 PM AT EASE: 1:57:22 PM RECONVENE:1:57:55 PM 1:57:58 PM Co-Chair Meyer noted that the bill would be held in Committee in order to research the fiscal costs. Representative Lynn said he would cooperate with the wishes of the Committee. HB 245 was HELD in Committee for further consideration.