HB 92-LAO VETERANS LICENSE PLATES  9:23:11 AM CHAIR LYNN announced that the last order of business was HOUSE BILL NO. 92, "An Act relating to special request Lao veteran registration plates; and providing for an effective date." 9:23:28 AM REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN, as prime sponsor, introduced HB 92. He said the bill would honor Hmong veterans who fought with and for the United States during the Vietnam War. During that war, he said, the CIA organized a Hmong army in Laos, which performed important combat support missions for the U.S. military, including the rescue of U.S. Air Force pilots that were shot down and the disruption of North Vietnamese supply lines along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. As a result, he said, the Hmong people faced persecution and genocide after the U.S. withdrew from Southeast Asia. Many Hmong left Asia and moved to the U.S., where they were granted asylum under the Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1975. Representative Petersen said there is a growing Hmong population in Alaska, and HB 92 is one small way for expressing appreciation for their service and assistance during the Vietnam War. 9:24:56 AM CHAIR LYNN handed the gavel to Vice Chair Keller. 9:25:38 AM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG noted that the language on page 1, lines 6-7, relates that the bill would commemorate the license plate owner's service in combat in support of U.S. military operations in the Kingdom of Laos, whereas the sponsor statement indicates that the license plate recipients would recognize and honor Lao veterans who fought in support of the U.S. He stated his belief that the language of the bill could be interpreted to mean that Americans who fought would be included. 9:27:04 AM REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN explained that the intent of the bill is to honor veterans of Laotian decent who have since immigrated to America. REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG said he thought that was the sponsor's intent, but said the language of the bill does not seem to limit the issue of the license plates to those former Laotians. He recommended checking with the bill drafter to narrow the language. 9:29:34 AM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG reiterated that the current language may allow non-Laotians who fought in Laos in support of U.S. military operations to receive that license. He suggested an amendment may be necessary to clarify the sponsor's intent. REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN said although it was not his intention to allow military veterans who fought in Laos who were not originally from Laos to qualify for the proposed license plate, he surmised they could order the license plate if they wanted to honor their service in Laos. 9:32:16 AM REPRESENTATIVE KELLER remarked that certification would be different for someone originally from Laos than it would be for an American who fought there. 9:32:54 AM REPRESENTATIVE SEATON offered his understanding that the words "owner's service" on page 1, line 7, would mean that someone leasing a car would not be eligible. He then asked whether the sponsor would like to allow descendants to qualify, because, if so, language to that effect would need to be added. REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN said he is glad Representative Seaton pointed that out, because he said he would not want to exclude someone wanting to honor a relative who had served. 9:34:14 AM REPRESENTATIVE JOHANSEN questioned what sort of documentation a person would have to bring to the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). DAVID BREMMER, Staff, Representative Pete Petersen, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Petersen, sponsor, responded that several criteria have been set out by the federal government under the Hmong Veterans' Naturalization Act of 2000, which exempted Laotians who came to the U.S. from having to take the English language test and citizen test. He indicated that allowable documentation [for the former Laotian who fought for the U.S. and is trying to obtain the proposed license plate] may include: military orders from the U.S. government; an affidavit signed by a military officer; two affidavits from soldiers who served with the Laotian; photographs of the Laotian in training or with certain Laotian generals. 9:38:14 AM REPRESENTATIVE JOHANSEN said by the next bill hearing he would like clarification regarding exactly who would qualify under HB 92, because he does not want these license plates to be given to just anyone or for people to be sporting a plate and bragging about something in which they were not involved, because that would be disrespectful. 9:39:25 AM REPRESENTATIVE P. WILSON directed attention to a sentence on page 1, [beginning on line 10], which read as follows: To be issued a registration plate under this subsection, the owner must present evidence satisfactory to the department that the owner served in combat as required by this subsection. 9:40:28 AM VICE CHAIR KELLER commended the bill sponsor for bringing the bill forward and encouraged him to get further clarification. He said the Hmong people were left with enemies at home when the U.S. pulled out of the war. 9:40:53 AM REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG related his experience in the military to illustrate that "in combat" is a technical term. He explained that someone may have been involved in conflict but not have shot a gun, thus, he recommended that the sponsor clarify whether that person would be included. VICE CHAIR KELLER handed the gavel back to Chair Lynn. 9:43:14 AM CHAIR LYNN said he has heard good things about those from Laos who moved to the U.S. and have assimilated in this country. He talked about other indigenous tribes, such as Miao and Montagnards, who were in the area in Vietnam, and he asked the bill sponsor if he would consider them in this bill. 9:46:12 AM REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN noted that the term Montagnards was coined by the French to mean "mountain people." He indicated that the Hmong is a larger group that may incorporate some of the others. CHAIR LYNN asked that the bill sponsor check to see if there are any peoples calling themselves Montagnards who may be interested in this or a similar license plate. REPRESENTATIVE KELLER, in response to the chair, recommended that the bill be held for another hearing. 9:49:48 AM WHITNEY BREWSTER, Director, Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Department of Administration, said the DMV does not oppose HB 92, but emphasized the importance to the DMV of the topic of evidence that would be brought forth to the division. She stated her understanding that under the bill, as currently written, anyone who served in Laos during that war would qualify, not just those who are originally from Laos. Further, she said she thinks the bill would need to be amended if the intent is to include descendants. In response to Representative Seaton's point that those who leased a car would not qualify, she suggested that the word "applicant's" could replace the word "owner's" CHAIR LYNN recommended the committee be careful when identifying ethnic or racial groups in correlation with designating license plates. 9:51:52 AM MS. BREWSTER, in response to Representative Gruenberg, said she believes the DMV has the regulatory powers to carry out the bill. 9:52:49 AM REPRESENTATIVE PETERSEN asked Ms. Brewster what documentation is required for other specialized license plates. MS. BREWSTER answered that, for example, to obtain a Gold Star Family plate, a person must bring any document that has been issued by the military or an obituary. She said the division could use those criteria "as evidence of eligibility for the plate." 9:54:33 AM CHAIR LYNN, after ascertaining that there was no one else who wished to testify, closed public testimony. [HB 92 was held over.]