CSHB 178(STA) am -SPECIAL REQUEST LICENSE PLATES  5:00:20 PM CHAIR GENE THERRIAULT announced HB 178 to be up for consideration. KONRAD JACKSON, Staff to Representative Kurt Olson, explained that HB 178 deals with special request license plates. With few exceptions, all non-commercial vehicles can display non-standard license plates and under HB 178 all license plates would be made available for use on all motor vehicles. Certain plates would continue to carry eligibility requirements. Those include plates for: Alaska Army National Guard members, Purple Heart recipients, and Veterans. Fees for specialty plates would be collected in addition to the current registration fees. CHAIR THERRIAULT noted the bill was amended to allow elected state officials to retain their registration plates after expiration. MR. JACKSON explained that the concern is that the statutes don't allow elected state officials to retain legislative license plates that are expired. After speaking with Mr. Bannock and Ms. Varni, he learned that there had never been a problem and neither expressed an interest in getting the expired plates back. Nonetheless the bill was amended in the House State Affairs Committee as a point of clarification. CHAIR THERRIAULT asked Mr. Bannock for the department's view on the bill. DUANNE BANNOCK, Director, Division of Motor Vehicles, Department of Administration, announced the division cheerfully endorses HB 178. It would be easier to meet internal goals and objectives while meeting the number one goal of being customer friendly. CHAIR THERRIAULT questioned why just certain categories were included for specialty plates. MR. BANNOCK responded it's probably because the designations were made at different times. Historically commercial vehicles were identified as such by the final two letters of a seven- digit license plate. Today the system only allows a six-digit license plate and the numbers or letters are tied to the vehicle registration regardless of the combination. CHAIR THERRIAULT asked if he was also representing the Department of Public Safety and whether the Troopers care one way or another. MR. BANNOCK responded he would never be so bold as to speak for another department, but in ongoing discussions between departments it's clear that the license plate letter and number combination is used to identify the owner and the physical description of the vehicle. The color and style of the plate makes no difference. SENATOR CHARLIE HUGGINS asked if the bill would make it possible for legislative plates to be retained on the mantel or on the vehicle. MR. BANNOCK replied the bill would make it legal to retain the expired legislative plate on the mantle. Clearly the expired license plate could not be retained on the vehicle. SENATOR HUGGINS asked: "Do we presently, in the State of Alaska, have any sort of revenue from license plates kind of things that's designated to any sort of fund source?" MR. BANNOCK answered yes, but he wouldn't use the word "designated." The revenue from the sale of several styles of license plates is accounted for separately. He described the programs for the veteran's commemorative plates, the University of Alaska plates, and the Children's Trust (KID) plates all of which have a one-time up-front fee followed by a special fee when the vehicle is re-registered. 5:10:05 PM SENATOR HUGGINS asked for an estimate of the annual revenue collected on each those specialty plates. MR. BANNOCK said the commemorative veteran plate is the most recent and when he last checked eight plates had been sold for $800. He estimated close to 600 KID plates had been sold. They have a one-time fee of $50, which would amount to $3,000. He didn't have information on the University of Alaska plates. CHAIR THERRIAULT questioned whether the specialty plates are standard in size. MR. BANNOCK explained that license plate size is just one of a number of nationwide standards. CHAIR THERRIAULT asked if the word "Alaska" is the same size on all plates. MR. BANNOCK said he thought so. CHAIR THERRIAULT noted the bill had one fiscal note and asked for the will of the committee. SENATOR WAGONER motioned to report CSHB 178(STA)am and attached fiscal note from committee with individual recommendations. There being no objection, it was so ordered.