HB 139 - ALLOW SCREEN DEVICES IN UTILITY VEHICLES 1:39:11 PM CHAIR RAMRAS announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 139, "An Act providing for an exception to allow drivers of public utility motor vehicles to operate those vehicles with certain screen devices operating and visible to the drivers." REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG - speaking as a co-sponsor of HB 139 and as one of the joint prime sponsors of House Bill 88, which passed the legislature in 2008 and prohibited the use of certain screen devices by drivers of moving vehicles - characterized HB 139 as a "fix it bill" intended to address a problem with House Bill 88; when House Bill 88 passed, its sponsors were unaware that utility companies have screen devices in their vehicles for purposes of providing their employees with job- related information. The intent of HB 139 is to include the use of such devices by utility companies in the list of exceptions currently provided for in AS 28.35.161(c). He noted that HB 139 was introduced at the request of the utility companies, and that Chugach Electric Association has submitted a letter regarding HB 139. In conclusion, he expressed his hope that the committee would pass HB 139. REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG, in response to a question, said it would still be a crime for a utility company employee to watch movies, for example, while driving. Under HB 139, the proposed exception would only apply to those screen devices displaying information for use in performing utility construction, maintenance, or repair, or for data acquisition by a public utility. REPRESENTATIVE DAHLSTROM characterized HB 139 as a good piece of legislation. 1:44:21 PM CURTIS W. THAYER, Director, Corporate and External Affairs, ENSTAR Natural Gas Company ("ENSTAR"), said that ENSTAR supports HB 139, and offered his understanding that several other utility companies support the bill as well. He indicated that the screen devices that the bill is meant to address are both proprietary and provide proprietary information. In response to questions, he said that if an employee were to alter a company vehicle so as to be able to watch movies, for example, while driving, in addition to being illegal under current law, it would result in severe disciplinary action and could result in the employee's dismissal. REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG reiterated that such behavior would be illegal under current law. CHAIR RAMRAS, after ascertaining that no one else wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 139. 1:49:53 PM REPRESENTATIVE DAHLSTROM moved to report HB 139 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, HB 139 was reported from the House Judiciary Standing Committee.