ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  SENATE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE  February 4, 2014 3:34 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Peter Micciche, Chair Senator Cathy Giessel, Vice Chair Senator Dennis Egan Senator Click Bishop Senator Lyman Hoffman MEMBERS ABSENT  All members present COMMITTEE CALENDAR  SENATE BILL NO. 123 "An Act authorizing a municipality to adopt an ordinance prohibiting the use of cellular telephones while driving in school zones or on school property." - HEARD & HELD PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: SB 123 SHORT TITLE: PROHIBIT USE OF CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) MEYER 01/22/14 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 01/22/14 (S) CRA 02/04/14 (S) CRA AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 WITNESS REGISTER SENATOR KEVIN MEYER Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of SB 123. ACTION NARRATIVE 3:34:52 PM CHAIR PETER MICCICHE called the Senate Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:34 p.m. Present at the call to order were Senators Giessel, Egan, Bishop and Chair Micciche. SB 123-PROHIBIT USE OF CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING  3:36:15 PM CHAIR MICCICHE announced that SB 123 was up for consideration. SENATOR KEVIN MEYER, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of SB 123, explained the bill authorizes municipalities to adopt an ordinance prohibiting the use of cell phones while driving in school zones or property and that this is simply enabling legislation. Currently, Title 28 requires traffic laws to be uniform throughout the state, and requires a municipality to demonstrate a need to pass a local ordinance that may not be needed statewide. SB 123 would remove that burden. This issue was brought to his attention by a constituent, Mr. Wight, who initially brought it to the City of Anchorage over three years ago where he was rear-ended in a school zone area by someone who was talking on his cell phone. He had to stop abruptly because a child was running across the street. Senator Meyer said one of the biggest concerns in Anchorage schools is when parents drop kids off at school; they run all over the place and the parents are sometimes distracted. SENATOR MEYER said the Assembly worked with Mr. Wight, but found out that they needed the state to pass enabling legislation. This was a priority of the City of Anchorage last year, but they weren't able to deal with it then. He noted that the legislation is not a mandate and the ordinances can be tailored a community's needs. It still has to go through the local public process, the Assembly and the mayor. He said that current texting laws do not include cell phones and that's why this is needed. SB 123 has no fiscal note. 3:38:57 PM SENATOR HOFFMAN joined the committee. 3:39:28 PM CHAIR MICCICHE noted a letter from Mr. Wight in their packets. He opened the meeting to questions from the committee. Finding no questions, he thanked Senator Meyer for bringing this issue forward. 3:40:54 PM CHAIR MICCICHE opened public testimony and said that Mr. Wight wanted to testify, but wouldn't be able to do that today. So he would leave it open. SENATOR MEYER noted that he was also expecting a letter from the Assembly chairman. SENATOR MICCICHE said he personally supported SB 123. [SB 123 was held in committee.] 3:41:40 PM There being no further business to come before the committee, Chair Micciche adjourned the Senate Community and Regional Affairs Committee at 3:41 p.m.