HOUSE BILL NO. 73 "An Act relating to honorary foreign consul license plates; and providing for an effective date." REPRESENTATIVE BOB LYNN, SPONSOR, spoke to the bill, which provides for special license plates for firefighters and emergency service (EMS) providers. He thought the plates acknowledged good work done by individuals. 9:27:20 AM Representative Lynn believed the measure would encourage volunteerism. He pointed to copies of the petition for firefighter and EMS provider license plates (copies on file). He mentioned the zero fiscal note. Co-Chair Stoltze requested more information about the proposed committee substitute. NANCY MANLY, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE BOB LYNN, explained that the CS (version P) addresses technical changes and an effective date change: · Page 1 line 5 - per Legal Services: there was another subsection added last year to statute so the subsection number changes from "(y)" to "(z)". · Page 2 line 30 changes the effective date from 2009 to 2010. Co-Chair Stoltze acknowledged the straightforward nature of the changes. He believed the measure would affect more volunteer firefighters than career firefighters in Alaska. Representative Lynn agreed. Vice-Chair Thomas asked whether doctors were included as respondents in rural areas. Co-Chair Hawker MOVED to adopt the CS for HB 73, 26- LS0303\P, Luckhaupt, 2/4/10, as a working draft. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. Representative Salmon asked whether doctors and nurses were included. 9:31:39 AM Representative Fairclough asked whether the sponsor was comfortable with adding volunteer firefighters. Representative Lynn agreed, as volunteer firefighters were the backbone of firefighting in many Alaskan communities. Representative Fairclough wanted an amendment to explicitly include volunteer firefighters. She stated a conflict of interest as her sons were volunteer firefighters. She said her sons would be proud to have the license plate. Ms. Manly assured her that the measure included volunteer firefighters. Co-Chair Stoltze shared concerns regarding institutional bias against volunteer fire fighters. He wanted the language to be very clear. 9:33:48 AM JERRY LUCKHAUPT, LEGISLATIVE LEGAL STAFF, DIVISION OF LEGAL SERVICES AND VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER, replied that the bill does not distinguish between volunteer and career firefighters as long as an individual is a member of a fire department. He explained that the majority of the fire departments in Alaska are volunteer departments. Some are a combination of career and volunteer members. Some states have different license plates for each group; HB 73 does not distinguish between the groups. Co-Chair Stoltze noted that in his community the goal has been to bring the groups together. SEAN WISNER, CAREER FIREFIGHTER, ALYESKA MARINE TERMINAL AND VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER, VALDEZ FIRE DEPARTMENT (via teleconference), spoke in support of the measure. He related his history as a firefighter and emergency medical technician. He believed the plates would help others recognize the service of individuals and would encourage volunteerism. SUSIE KOKLICH, ALASKA DIRECTOR, NATIONAL VOLUNTEER FIRE COUNCIL, VALDEZ (via teleconference), testified in support of the measure. She informed the committee that there were approximately 7,200 firefighters in the state; 1,300 are paid career firefighters. Volunteers give thousands of hours of service. She shared a story related to her husband, a Vietnam veteran with a Purple Heart license plate. Because of the plate, someone had thanked him for his service. The thank you meant a great deal to him. Ms. Koklich added that the bill would encourage volunteerism in the state. She pointed out that volunteerism was declining around the country and she did not want that to happen in Alaska. 9:38:49 AM Ms. Koklich noted that doctors are not included unless they are an emergency responder. Representative Gara acknowledged her contributions and her husband's. DAVID MILLER, FIRE CHIEF, CITY AND BOROUGH OF SITKA AND PRESIDENT, ALASKA STATE FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION (via teleconference), testified in full support of the measure. He believed that volunteers would be more visible in the community and that this would encourage volunteerism. Co-Chair Stoltze suggested adding the term "career" to volunteers who have offered their services for many years. Mr. Miller agreed that many of the volunteers put in as many hours as paid workers. 9:42:14 AM DAVE TYLER, STATE FIRE MARSHALL (via teleconference), spoke in support of the bill as a good way to recognize responders. Co-Chair Stoltze mentioned the fire standards council. Representative Fairclough declared her conflict of interest. Co-Chair Stoltze did not think it would be a problem. Co-Chair Hawker MOVED to report HB 73 out of Committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. CSHB 73(FIN) was REPORTED out of Committee with a "do pass" recommendation and with attached new zero note by the Department of Administration.