HB 194 - FINES AND OFFENSES 1:44:41 PM CHAIR RAMRAS announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 194,"An Act relating to fines for certain offenses involving aeronautics, alcoholic beverages, boats, fish and game, health care records and public health, medical review organizations, public restroom facilities, smoking, shelter cabins, refrigerators and similar equipment, radiation sources, high voltage lines, child labor, employment in underground mines, marriage licenses, motor vehicles and driver's licenses, ignition interlock devices, pipelines, use of the state seal, and emissions requirements; relating to the maximum fine provided for violations and infractions and to the definition of 'minor offenses'; redesignating certain fish and game misdemeanor offenses as class A misdemeanors; relating to violations and offenses that are committed on state land, water, and land and water or that are related to water management or dam and reservoir safety; amending Rule 8(b), Alaska District Court Rules of Criminal Procedure; and providing for an effective date." [Before the committee was CSHB 194(RES).] CHAIR RAMRAS gave a synopsis of his understanding of the status of HB 194. He recapped that there was not a great deal of opposition to increasing the fine structure as a deterrent for people's behavior, but there had been some concern regarding the definition of a peace officer versus a police officer, whether untrained people were being put in harm's way, and if untrained people held a different schedule of benefits. 1:46:26 PM HEATH HILYARD, Staff to Representative Carl Gatto, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Gatto, co-chair of the House Resources Standing Committee, sponsor of HB 194, concurred with Chair Ramras's recap of the issues remaining on HB 194. 1:47:44 PM DICK MYLIUS, Acting Director, Central Office, Division of Mining, Land and Water, Department of Natural Resources (DNR) indicated the division is close to working out an agreement with the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to address their concerns. He noted the division would like to see portions of the bill revised. 1:48:10 PM CHAIR RAMRAS proposed Conceptual Amendment 1, to delete Section 37 and Section 43, and any other conforming language in the bill, as necessary. These sections refer to the peace officer and enforcement authority, and repeal AS 41.23.210 and AS 41.23.220. REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS objected for the purposes of discussion. 1:50:41 PM REPRESENTATIVE CARL GATTO, Alaska State Legislature, speaking as co-chair of the House Resources Standing Committee, sponsor of HB 194, in response to a question by Chair Ramras, agreed that Conceptual Amendment 1 was acceptable. REPRESENTATIVE SAMUELS removed his objection to Conceptual Amendment 1. There being no further objection, Conceptual Amendment 1 was adopted. 1:50:57 PM REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL moved to report CSHB 194(RES), as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 194(JUD) was reported from the House Judiciary Standing Committee.