Alaska State Legislature
News from the House Majority

Jerry Ritter, House Majority Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
Phone: (907) 465-3804
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

Senate Passes Highway Safety Measure

Alaska's Commercial Vehicle Inspection Law Updated

For Immediate Release: April 29, 1998 Contact: Rep. Bill Williams at (907) 465-4858.

Juneau -- The Alaska Senate Wednesday joined the House in passing House Bill 404, which proposes to conform the State's archaic commercial vehicle inspection law with criteria found in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. The vote in the Senate was 20-0.

"As it now reads, Alaska's commercial vehicle inspection law is unworkable," said Representative Bill Williams (D-Saxman), Chairman of the House Transportation Committee, which sponsored HB 404. "This bill will create efficiencies in both government and the private sector to help bring about a safer transportation environment," Williams said.

HB 404 increases temporary fees for out-of-state trucks from $50 to $350, bringing Alaska fees closer to those charged by other states and provinces. Revenue from these fees may go to operating weigh stations and commercial vehicle safety programs.

The bill also eliminates the requirement for annual registration of commercial trailers and shifts the cost to registration of commercial power units, with no net revenue loss to the State. This change is required for Alaska to become part of the International Registration Plan, which prorates fees among the various jurisdictions in which Alaska commercial vehicles operate.

"The State and industry will no longer have to go through the process of issuing and physically tagging some twenty thousand commercial trailers every year," Williams said. "The bottom line is: the safer our highways are, the safer all of us will be."

HB 404 now goes back to the House for concurrence with Senate changes before going to the Governor for his signature.

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