ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS  February 8, 2022 1:01 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative Chris Tuck, Chair Representative Andi Story Representative Geran Tarr Representative Matt Claman Representative George Rauscher Representative Laddie Shaw Representative David Nelson MEMBERS ABSENT  All members present COMMITTEE CALENDAR  HOUSE BILL NO. 268 "An Act relating to driver's license renewal." - MOVED HB 268 OUT OF COMMITTEE PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: HB 268 SHORT TITLE: DRIVER'S LICENSE RENEWAL:MILITARY MEMBERS SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) MERRICK 01/18/22 (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/14/22 01/18/22 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 01/18/22 (H) MLV 02/01/22 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 02/01/22 (H) -- MEETING CANCELED -- 02/08/22 (H) MLV AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120 WITNESS REGISTER REPRESENTATIVE KELLY MERRICK Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: As prime sponsor, presented HB 268. SORCHA HAZELTON, Staff Representative Kelly Merrick Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Offered a sectional analysis of HB 268 on behalf of Representative Merrick, prime sponsor. KATIE ROCHE, representing self Eagle River, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 268. ACTION NARRATIVE 1:01:44 PM CHAIR CHRIS TUCK called the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting to order at 1:01 p.m. Representatives Tuck, Rauscher, Shaw, and Nelson were present at the call to order. Representatives Story, Claman, and Tarr arrived as the meeting was in progress. HB 268-DRIVER'S LICENSE RENEWAL:MILITARY MEMBERS  1:02:42 PM CHAIR TUCK announced that the only order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 268, "An Act relating to driver's license renewal." 1:03:34 PM REPRESENTATIVE KELLY MERRICK, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor, presented HB 268. She stated that the current statute allows for driver's license renewal up to one year before expiration. The bill would allow members of the military and their dependents to renew their licenses up to two years before expiration if they had orders to be stationed in another country, to prevent a scenario in which they are in another country without a valid license. 1:04:30 PM SORCHA HAZELTON, Staff, Representative Kelly Merrick, Alaska State Legislature, offered a sectional analysis of HB 268 on behalf of Representative Merrick, prime sponsor. She stated that the bill had two sections, the first of which provided for the extended renewal time frame and limited it to the military. The second provided a definition of the word "military" for the purposes of the statute. 1:05:06 PM REPRESENTATIVE NELSON said that he appreciated the bill as someone with friends in the military. 1:07:00 PM KATIE ROCHE, representing self, introduced herself as the wife of the previously mentioned military member. She said that the expiration date of her husband's driver's license made him unable to renew it and subsequently unable to obtain a European driver's license. 1:07:44 PM CHAIR TUCK remarked that there was not model legislation in other states of this type. 1:08:30 PM REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN asked for a clarification on driver's license expiration. 1:09:10 PM MS. HAZELTON answered that the license expiration would have occurred while the service member was abroad, due to the current statute barring the DMV from renewing it more than 365 days in advance. 1:09:35 PM REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN asked if the bill was giving someone the ability to renew their driver's license earlier and giving them an extension to do so. MS. HAZELTON answered that it provides a longer duration prior to expiration. 1:10:11 PM REPRESENTATIVE TARR inquired if the bill would be enough to cover any member of the military or their dependents potentially in the same situation. REPRESENTATIVE MERRICK responded that it would. 1:10:43 PM REPRESENTATIVE STORY asked about the inclusion of a domestic partner that might be dependent on but not married to the military member. REPRESENTATIVE MERRICK answered that the word "spouse" was used as that is the word that the military uses, and that including dependents in the bill would include domestic partners. 1:12:23 PM The committee took a brief at-ease. 1:12:45 PM CHAIR TUCK opened public testimony on HB 268. After ascertaining that no one wished to testify, he closed public testimony. 1:13:15 PM The committee took a brief at-ease. 1:13:29 PM REPRESENTATIVE TARR moved to report HB 268 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying zero fiscal note. There being no objection, HB 268 was reported out of the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs. 1:15:27 PM ADJOURNMENT  There being no further business before the committee, the House Special Committee on Military and Veterans' Affairs meeting was adjourned at 1:15 p.m.