SB 50-IDITAROD REGISTRATION PLATES    9:12:07 AM CHAIR MENARD announced the consideration of SB 50. 9:12:30 AM SHARON LONG, staff to Senator Charlie Huggins, Alaska State Legislature, said SB 50 -- Iditarod finisher license plates -- honors those who have shown the dedication, perseverance, and exemplary athletic ability to finish the Iditarod sled dog race. The Department of Administration will approve the new plate design. The finishers will be able to purchase these exclusive plates by providing proof of completing the race. The finisher must have a vehicle registered in Alaska that will display the plate. There is a zero fiscal note. "Senator Huggins requests your support for this new category of specialty license plates honoring the mushers who have endured the challenges and shown the courage and ability to complete what's affectionately known as the last great race on earth." 9:14:55 AM SENATOR PASKVAN asked about "$50 for some people ... and $30 for other categories. What are we trying to create?" MS. LONG said, "It seemed to fall more in the category of the custom collector plates." SENATOR PASKVAN asked if $50 is an additional registration fee. MS. LONG said it is the charge for the plate, and she thinks that is separate from the registration fees. WHITNEY BREWSTER, Director, Division of Motor Vehicles, Anchorage, said the cost of the plate would be in addition to the regular registration fee. 9:16:16 AM MS. BREWSTER said this is not like a previous bill where a special fund is created for fundraising purposes. This will simply create a new plate that the DMV will make available to Iditarod finishers. The funds collected above and beyond the cost of producing the plates will go to the general fund. ANDY MODEROW, staff to Senator Hollis French, Alaska State Legislature, said he did the Iditarod in 2001 and had a blast. As a musher he can say that many people who have done the race will use the plates. It will advertise the race to people visiting from out of state. His most vivid memory of license plates was during a visit to Connecticut where he saw different states represented. This bill will establish something that will represent Alaska very well and bring up images of adventure and wilderness. It will be fun for visitors to see the plates. 9:18:56 AM SENATOR FRENCH asked how long it took him to finish the race and what place he took. MR. MODEROW said it took him 12 days and 44 minutes. He took 17th place out of about 80 entrants. SENATOR FRENCH asked how cold it got and the farthest distance he traveled in 24 hours. MR. MODEROW said it never got much lower than negative 10 or 20. He ran 16 to 17 hours during one 24-hour period. He said both his mom and dad have finished the race as well, and they would be excited about this license plate. 9:20:29 AM SENATOR FRENCH asked if more people have summited Mt. Everest than have finished the Iditarod. MR. MODEROW said he has heard that. 9:21:10 AM STAN HOOLEY, Executive Director, Iditarod Trail Committee, Anchorage, said his organization supports SB 50. "We think it's a great thing to recognize this relatively small yet elite group of adventurers." He said Mr. Moderow was the youngest person at the time to complete the Iditarod. In the 36 years of this race, only 663 people have laid claim to the most expensive and coveted belt buckle on the planet. CHAIR MENARD said if the canines are included it would be a large group, and they will be honored to be on the plates. MR. HOOLEY said they will be part of the design. The two-legged athletes work as a team with the four-legged athletes. 9:23:28 AM SENATOR FRENCH moved to report SB 50 from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There being no objection, SB 50 moved out of committee. SENATOR KOOKESH suggested differentiating between a person and a dog in the bill. An owner of a dog that finished the race may want to buy the license plate. SENATOR FRENCH noted that the bill specifies a "person".