CSHB 517(TRA)(title am) MOTOR VEHICLES: REGULATION & INSURANCE  CHAIRMAN RIEGER called the Senate Transportation Committee meeting to order at 3:51 p.m., and brought CSHB 517(TRA)(title am) before the committee as the first order of business. Number 008 JUANITA HENSLEY, Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Department of Public Safety, said most Alaskans need a driver's license in order to carry on their daily routine and they have stood in line waiting to take care of business that requires them to physically visit DMV. HB 517 will make it easier for the Department of Public Safety to serve the public by simplifying procedures for obtaining a driver's license by removing exceptions to the renewal by mail-in program. Also, current law requires a person involved in an accident resulting in $500 or more in damage to property to report the accident to local police or the Alaska State Troopers for investigation. This amount was set in 1977 and present value of the slightest scrape can cost that much to repair; this bill raises that amount to $1,500. The legislation also provides for administrative hearings to be held by telephone in most instances to avoid costly travel. It allows the Department of Public Safety to keep its records electronically and provides that certified copies of those electronically stored records are admissible in courts and administrative proceedings. It also allows a temporary permit to be issued by a car dealer to be valid for 60 days rather than 30 days to give the dealer and the Department of Public Safety more time to take care of the necessary paper work. HB 517 also provides for compliance of the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act Program grant requirements, and item 22 of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Act 49 CFR parts 383, 390 and 391 dealing with disqualifying a commercial driver for an out-of-service violation. It makes house keeping changes for compliance purposes. Failure to adopt the provisions of 49 CFR may result in a 5 percent sanction of federal highway monies and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program Grant (MCSAP) funding. Concluding her overview, Ms. Hensley noted she had provided the committee with a sectional analysis and she would respond to questions. Number 048 SENATOR ADAMS asked Ms. Hensley to address the repeal of two statutes having to do with the staggering of vehicle registration. MS. HENSLEY explained that in 1978 the department went from all the vehicles having to be registered in January of the year to staggering registration for all vehicles, except for commercial vehicles. This will repeal the fact that the department would have to register commercial vehicles every January and allow them to stagger those registrations as they do now with other vehicles. Number 071 SENATOR RIEGER referred to Section 5, relating to claim of ownership by private property owner, and asked what the law is now in the absence of this section as far as when an abandoned vehicle reverts to the owner of the real estate. MS. HENSLEY responded that before an individual could obtain a title to get a vehicle removed from the property, he would have to go through a bonding situation or obtain a lien against the vehicle for like a storage lien, as well as go through a bonding provision even though the car has been abandoned on their property for a lengthy period of time. SENATOR RIEGER asked the reason for the three-year provision in the section, which, he added seems awfully long. MS. HENSLEY explained that amendment was made at the request of Senator Torgerson, and the department did not object to it. Number 140 There being no further testimony on CSHB 517(TRA)(title am), SENATOR RIEGER asked for the pleasure of the committee. SENATOR GREEN moved CSHB 517(TRA)(title am) be passed out of committee with individual recommendations. Hearing no objection, it was so ordered.