HB 333-MUNI: DRIVER PHONE USE IN SCHOOL ZONE                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
3:31:13 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR BISHOP  announced consideration  of HB 333.  [CSHB 333(CRA)                                                               
am, version 30-LS1297\D.A, was before the committee.]                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   BIRCH,  sponsor   of   HB   333,  Alaska   State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, said  HB 333 is enabling legislation                                                               
that authorizes a municipality to  adopt an ordinance prohibiting                                                               
certain uses  of cell  phones while driving  a vehicle  through a                                                               
school zone or on school property.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
The  idea  for  this  legislation came  from  a  constituent  who                                                               
volunteers as  a crossing  guard at  Bowman Elementary  School in                                                               
South Anchorage,  District 26, who  in the regular course  of his                                                               
duties  routinely saw  dangerous  situations  with people  making                                                               
cell  phone  calls  while  driving  around  school  children.  In                                                               
addition,  he was  rear-ended  by someone  distracted  on a  cell                                                               
phone while  stopping abruptly to  avoid hitting a  child running                                                               
across the  street. While  the constituent  was working  with the                                                               
Municipality  of  Anchorage  to  try  to  pass  an  ordinance  to                                                               
prohibit  cell  phone  use  within  school  zones  or  on  school                                                               
property, he  learned it was  not possible  to do this  without a                                                               
piece of enabling legislation at the state level.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GARDNER  said this is  akin to speed zone  differences in                                                               
school areas and asked if that is required to be in statute.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ASHTON  COMPTON,  staff  to Representative  Birch,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature, Juneau,  Alaska, said she  would get that  answer to                                                               
her.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR GARDNER said that wasn't  necessary, but she was a little                                                               
bit curious.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  BIRCH pointed  out  that this  allows hands  free                                                               
driving through  a school  zone or  on immediate  school property                                                               
and has "great support" from  the Anchorage School District, AAA,                                                               
and the Alaska  Municipal League (AML). The  AML also appreciates                                                               
the opt-in piece.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
3:33:30 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR MACKINNON joined the meeting.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:34:49 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  BISHOP,  finding  no   further  questions,  opened  public                                                               
testimony, and finding none, closed it.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR STEDMAN moved to report  CSHB 333(CRA), version 30-LS1297                                                               
\D.A,   from  committee   with  individual   recommendations  and                                                               
attached fiscal note(s).  There were no objections and  it was so                                                               
ordered.