SB 204-DISABLED VET PLATES:CHIROPRACTORS CERTIFY  3:18:44 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS announced that the first order of business would be SENATE BILL NO. 204, "An Act relating to special registration plates for vehicles owned by veterans with disabilities." 3:18:59 PM REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX moved to adopt Amendment 1, 30-LS1474\A.1, Martin, 3/9/18, which read as follows: Page 1, line 1, following "Act": Insert "relating to a veteran's designation on an  identification card or a driver's license for Hmong  veterans and Lao veterans; and" Page 1, following line 3: Insert a new bill section to read:  "* Section 1. AS 18.65.310(l) is amended to read: (l) At the request of the person, the department shall provide a veteran designation and United States flag replica on an identification card identifying the person as a retired veteran, [OR] a veteran of the armed forces of the United States discharged under honorable conditions, or a Hmong veteran or Lao  veteran who served in military operations in support  of the United States in the Kingdom of Laos between  February 28, 1961, and May 15, 1975. The department may not charge a fee solely for the designation. To receive a veteran designation, the person shall provide proof of veteran status that shows the person is retired, was [OR] discharged under honorable conditions, or is a Hmong veteran or Lao veteran. The  department shall consult with the Department of  Military and Veterans' Affairs to determine the proof  necessary to show that a person is a Hmong veteran or  Lao veteran. With the approval of the person, the department shall make available to the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs the name and address of a person receiving a veteran designation under this subsection. Notwithstanding (a) of this section, the department may charge a fee of $5 for replacement of a valid identification card with a new identification card with a veteran designation." Renumber the following bill section accordingly. Page 2, following line 16: Insert a new bill section to read:  "* Sec. 3. AS 28.15.111(c) is amended to read: (c) At the request of an applicant, the department shall provide a veteran designation and United States flag replica on a license identifying the driver as a retired veteran, [OR] a veteran of the armed forces of the United States discharged under honorable conditions, or a Hmong veteran or Lao  veteran who served in military operations in support  of the United States in the Kingdom of Laos between  February 28, 1961, and May 15, 1975. The department may not charge a fee solely for the designation. To receive a veteran designation, the driver shall make available proof of veteran status that shows that the person is retired, was [OR] discharged under honorable conditions, or is a Hmong veteran or Lao veteran. The  department shall consult with the Department of  Military and Veterans' Affairs to determine the proof  necessary to show that a person is a Hmong veteran or  Lao veteran. With the approval of the applicant, the department shall make available to the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs the name and address of a driver receiving a veteran designation under this subsection. The department may charge a fee of $5 for replacement of a valid driver's license with a new license with a veteran designation. A replacement license with a veteran designation issued for $5 under this subsection shall retain the expiration date of the license it replaces." CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS objected for purposes of discussion. 3:19:11 PM REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX explained that Amendment 1 relates to a veteran's designation on an identification card or a driver's license for Hmong veterans and Lao veterans. She noted that previously, a bill was heard relating to this issue and unfortunately, that bill stalled in the Senate "so I'm hoping to help it along." 3:19:54 PM REPRESENTATIVE KNOPP requested clarification that the department will be able to issue these and not have to have the disability designation. Especially since this legislation is about allowing medical professionals to issue disability placards, so is Amendment 1 outside of that scope, he asked. REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX answered that it is outside the scope, although Legislative Legal and Research Services advised that it fits within the single subject rule. CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS removed his objection. There being no objection, Amendment 1 was adopted. 3:21:04 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS moved to adopt Amendment 2, 30-LS1474\A.2, Martin, 4/6/18, which read as follows: Page 1, line 1, following "Act": Insert "relating to registration plates  celebrating the arts; and" Page 1, following line 3: Insert a new bill section to read:  "* Section 1. AS 28.10.161(b) is amended to read: (b) Every passenger vehicle registration plate, except as specifically provided in AS 28.10.181, shall have displayed on [UPON] it (1) one of the following designs: [EITHER] (A) the Alaska flag design, consisting of the Alaska flag, the traditional colors of yellow-gold and blue, and the slogan "The Last Frontier"; [OR] (B) the bear design, consisting of a standing grizzly bear in the center of the plate; the bear design shall be modeled after the 1976 bicentennial plate without the bicentennial symbol; or  (C) the design celebrating the arts chosen  by the commissioner through consultation with the  Alaska State Council on the Arts; the commissioner  shall choose a new design for the plates celebrating  the arts every four years and discontinue issuance of  the previous design; (2) the registration number assigned to the vehicle for which it is issued; (3) the name of this state, which may be abbreviated; and (4) the registration year number or expiration date for which time it is validated; the registration year number or expiration date may be part of the license plate or contained on a suitable sticker or tab device issued by the department; however, only one sticker or tab device may be issued for each pair of plates, and the sticker or tab device must be affixed to the rear plate." Renumber the following bill section accordingly. Page 2, following line 16: Insert new bill sections to read:  "* Sec. 3. AS 44.27.080(a) is amended to read: (a) The council shall hold a competition every four years to select a design for the vehicle  registration [SPECIAL REQUEST] plate celebrating the arts under AS 28.10.161(b)(1)(C) [AS 28.10.181(u)]. The council shall select a panel of judges to judge the submissions for the contest and shall include the previous design winner on the panel. The panel shall select the top submissions, and the council shall conduct a public vote to determine the winner of the competition. The council shall use the winning design when consulting with the commissioner of administration under AS 28.10.161(b)(1)(C) [AS 28.10.181(u)].  * Sec. 4. AS 28.10.181(u), 28.10.421(d)(15), and AS 44.27.080(b) are repealed." REPRESENTATIVE WOOL objected. 3:21:09 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS explained that Amendment 2 adds to the standard license plates, in addition to the plain yellow that DMV currently offers, as well as the bear design that former Representative Peggy Wilson added to the "artistic license" of the Alaska State Council on the Arts designs. A new design for the plates celebrating the arts will take place through a statewide competition every four years and will be voted on by Alaskans, he advised. 3:21:37 PM REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH commented that he does not have a problem with Amendment 2 and asked whether DMV has a reviewing process to make certain there is "not so much clutter on the plate that the license is unintelligible." He further asked whether DMV has the right of refusal when making a judgement call as to whether the plate is sufficiently visible to law enforcement. CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS responded that that process and those safeguards do exist in the DMV and it has the final say in its reviews. The plates go through the process of meeting technical minimums for visibility and spacing, he said. 3:22:46 PM REPRESENTATIVE WOOL referred to the three background plates and asked how DMV distinguishes (audio difficulties) whether it is additional writing together with the background of the flag or bear. CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS responded that there are two types of plates, the standard plates a person receives with their registration and there are the specialty plates, such as NRA specialty plates, and so forth. REPRESENTATIVE WOOL asked whether "these would be the three standards ones." CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS answered that Representative Wool was correct, and commented, "which usually relate to specific constituencies and demographics" such as veterans and so forth. 3:23:41 PM REPRESENTATIVE WOOL removed his objection. There being no objection, Amendment 2 was adopted. 3:23:50 PM CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS opened public testimony on SB 204. 3:24:19 PM DANIEL HOLD, Chiropractor, advised that he has practiced in Juneau for over 20 years, he spent 8 years on the Alaska Board of Chiropractic Examiners, he is a veteran, and he supports this legislation. He stressed that this legislation is important for the patients wherein they are not required to have "someone else" write a prescription for the placard. Veterans are seen in his clinic and the chiropractors prepare disability ratings, he added. This legislation, he reiterated, is in line with past practices but unfortunately chiropractors were deleted from the list of providers authorized to procure the placards for their patients. 3:25:27 PM REPRESENTATIVE KNOPP asked how it came about that chiropractors were removed from the list, and when were they removed. DOCTOR HOLD responded that he was unsure how it came about, but chiropractors were removed within the last couple of years. Forty-plus years previously, chiropractors were on the authorized list, he said. 3:25:48 PM REPRESENTATIVE WOOL asked Doctor Hold whether he was aware of abuses, in general, wherein people took advantage or borrowed a tag, placed it on their mirror, and used it for a VIP parking pass. DOCTOR HOLD answered that he was sure that probably happens with anyone, but chiropractors issue the placards strictly for their temporarily or permanently disabled patients. CHAIR KREISS-TOMKINS, after ascertaining no one wished to testify, closed public testimony on SB 204. 3:26:48 PM REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX moved to report SB 204, labeled 30- LS1474\A, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, SB 204(STA) moved out of the House State Affairs Standing Committee.