HOUSE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE April 25, 1997 1:10 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Representative John Cowdery Representative Bill Hudson Representative Jerry Sanders Representative Kim Elton Representative Al Kookesh MEMBERS ABSENT Representative Bill Williams, Chairman Representative Beverly Masek, Vice Chairman COMMITTEE CALENDAR *HOUSE BILL NO. 248 "An Act naming East Egan Drive in Valdez." - MOVED CSHB 248(TRA) OUT OF COMMITTEE *HOUSE BILL NO. 87 "An Act relating to fines and bail forfeiture amounts for certain offenses committed within highway work zones." - MOVED HB 87 OUT OF COMMITTEE (* First public hearing) PREVIOUS ACTION BILL: HB 248 SHORT TITLE: EAST EGAN DRIVE IN VALDEZ SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) KUBINA, Nicholia JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION 04/11/97 1080 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRAL(S) 04/11/97 1080 (H) TRANSPORTATION 04/25/97 (H) TRA AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 17 04/25/97 (H) RPT RECD W/CS AWAIT TRANSMITTAL NXT 04/25/97 (H) COM 04/25/97 (H) DP: ELTON, KOOKESH, SANDERS, COWDERY 04/25/97 (H) HUDSON 04/25/97 (H) ZERO FISCAL NOTE (DOT) BILL: HB 87 SHORT TITLE: TRAFFIC OFFENSES IN HIGHWAY WORK ZONES SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) ELTON JRN-DATE JRN-PG ACTION 01/24/97 137 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRAL(S) 01/24/97 137 (H) TRA, JUDICIARY, FINANCE 04/25/97 (H) TRA AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 17 04/25/97 (H) RPT RECD AWAIT TRANSMITTAL NXT COM 04/25/97 (H) DP: ELTON, KOOKESH, SANDERS, COWDERY 04/25/97 (H) HUDSON 04/25/97 (H) ZERO FISCAL NOTE (DOT) WITNESS REGISTER DON ETHERIDGE District Council of Labors 710 West 9th Street Juneau, Alaska 99801 Telephone: (907) 586-3707 POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in favor of HB 87. ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 97-24, SIDE A Number 001 CHAIRMAN BILL HUDSON called the House Transportation Standing Committee to order at 1:10 p.m. Members present at the call to order were Representatives Cowdery, Hudson, Sanders and Elton. Representative Kookesh arrived at 1:12 p.m. Members absent were Representatives Williams and Masek. Representative Hudson announced he is standing in for both the chair and vice-chair. HB 248 - EAST EGAN DRIVE IN VALDEZ Number 055 CHAIRMAN HUDSON announced that first order of business to be HB 248, "An Act naming East Egan Drive in Valdez." He asked Representative Kubina to present the bill. Number 206 REPRESENTATIVE GENE KUBINA stated that the milepost on the Richardson Highway starts where the old town is. The section of road between the old town and the new town is without milepost numbers. He stated that the main street coming into town is called Egan Drive. The bill is proposing that the part of the Richardson Highway between Meals Avenue and the east end of Mineral Creek Loop Road be called East Egan Drive. The reason is so that the businesses on that stretch of road can have an address. He stated that since there aren't any milepost numbers on that stretch of road, the businesses don't have a street address and they can't use their location of minus some odd miles on the Richardson Highway as their address. By naming this stretch of road East Egan Drive, the businesses will be able to have an address. He stated that there is an amendment to the bill which clarifies the proper name of the road to be Mineral Creek Loop Road rather than Mineral Creek Road. Number 373 REPRESENTATIVE JOHN COWDERY moved to adopt Amendment 1. Number 378 CHAIRMAN HUDSON asked if there were any objections, hearing none Amendment 1 was adopted. REPRESENTATIVE COWDERY asked who was going to pay for the signs, for the new road since there is a zero fiscal note. Number 453 REPRESENTATIVE KUBINA replied that the city will put up the signs. Number 475 REPRESENTATIVE KIM ELTON made a motion to move CSHB 248(TRA), with individual recommendations and a zero fiscal note. Number 484 REPRESENTATIVE HUDSON asked if there were any objections, hearing none, CSHB 248(TRA) was moved out of the House Transportation Standing Committee. HB 87 - TRAFFIC OFFENSES IN HIGHWAY WORK ZONES Number 515 REPRESENTATIVE HUDSON announced the next order of business to be HB 87, "An Act relating to fines and bail forfeiture amounts for certain offenses committed within highway work zones." Number 543 REPRESENTATIVE ELTON stated that the bill doubles the fines for speeding and for reckless or negligent driving in a highway work zone. It is a measure, designed to lessen the risk to highway work crews and to reduce the number of accidents in the highway work zones. He stated that surveys have shown an effective way to induce good behavior in work zones is to increase the penalties. He pointed out that there are more expensive ways of handling the dangers in the works zones, such as the construction companies contracting with the local police departments to be on site during the road work. He stated that the bill has a zero fiscal note. He stated that the fine for reckless driving is $1,000, with up to a year imprisonment. Negligent driving is a $300 fine with no jail time and speeding is a fine of $50 with $2 for every mile over the speed limit. Number 687 REPRESENTATIVE COWDERY stated that he would be in favor of a minimum fine level instead of a maximum fine ceiling because sometime offenders get off too easy. Number 742 REPRESENTATIVE ELTON stated that the statute reads not more than a $1000 fine. The statute sets the ceiling and not the floor. Number 793 REPRESENTATIVE COWDERY asked if there are points involved in these violations. Number 825 REPRESENTATIVE ELTON stated that there would be points involved with speeding and reckless driving but he is not sure if points apply to negligent driving. REPRESENTATIVE COWDERY stated that points on a license get the offenders attention more so than the fines. He stated that he supports the bill but would like to see points involved and a floor on the fines. REPRESENTATIVE ELTON agreed that points are more effective. REPRESENTATIVE HUDSON stated that the next committee of referral is the House Judiciary Standing Committee and they would be able to considered the point penalty. Number 951 DON ETHERIDGE, District Council of Labors, stated that the council is in favor of this legislation. He stated that there are been several close calls and this will deter accidents. Number 1081 REPRESENTATIVE COWDERY made a motion to move HB 87, with individual recommendations and a zero fiscal note. Number 1094 REPRESENTATIVE HUDSON asked if there were any objections, hearing none, HB 87 was moved out of the House Transportation Standing Committee. ADJOURNMENT REPRESENTATIVE HUDSON adjourned the House Transportation Standing Committee at 1:35 p.m.