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SB239 • 2026

MOTOR VEHICLES: REG/COMM EXAM/INSURANCE

An Act relating to commercial motor vehicle licensing examinations; relating to the registration and titling of legally imported motor vehicles; relating to proof of financial responsibility for suspension for nonpayment of judgments; and providing for an effective date.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
SENATORS TILTON, Myers, Kawasaki, Bjorkman, Cronk, Rauscher, Kaufman, Merrick, Yundt REPRESENTATIVES Fields, St. Clair, Schwanke, Schrage, Galvin, Eischeid, McCabe, Saddler, Josephson, Mina
Last action
2026-05-20
Official status
(S) CONCURRED(H) AM
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Vehicle Registration and Insurance Changes

This act changes rules for commercial vehicle licensing exams, allows older imported vehicles to be registered without meeting current safety standards, extends proof of financial responsibility requirements, and sets an effective date.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows the registration of older imported cars that are at least 25 years old without needing to meet today's safety rules.
  • Prevents the state from refusing or suspending a car title for not meeting current safety standards if it was registered under this new rule.
  • Changes how long proof of financial responsibility must be kept after a judgment is paid off, depending on the number of previous suspensions.
  • Requires insurance companies to inform their customers about these changes within six months of the law taking effect.
  • Limits the driving test retake requirements for commercial vehicle license applicants who fail or do not complete parts of the exam.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People importing older cars into the United States
  • Insurance companies doing business in Alaska
  • Commercial vehicle licensing applicants

Terms To Know

Financial Responsibility
Having enough money or insurance to pay for damages caused by a car accident.
Suspension
When someone is not allowed to drive their vehicle because they did not follow certain rules, like paying fines on time.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The exact effective date of the act has not been set.
  • It does not specify how older imported vehicles will be inspected or what safety standards apply to them after registration.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

AM 1

2901

AM NO 1 ADOPTED UC

Plain English: AM NO 1 ADOPTED UC 2901

  • The official amendment file could not be read automatically during the last sync, so only the official amendment metadata is shown right now.
AM 2

2903

AM NO 2 NOT OFFERED

Plain English: AM NO 2 NOT OFFERED 2903

  • The official amendment file could not be read automatically during the last sync, so only the official amendment metadata is shown right now.
AM 3

2903

AM NO 3 ADOPTED UC

Plain English: AM NO 3 ADOPTED UC 2903

  • The official amendment file could not be read automatically during the last sync, so only the official amendment metadata is shown right now.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-20 Alaska State Legislature

    (S) AWAITING TRANSMITTAL TO GOV

  2. 2026-05-20 Alaska State Legislature

    (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  3. 2026-05-20 Alaska State Legislature

    (S) CONCUR AM OF (H) Y20 N-

  4. 2026-05-20 Alaska State Legislature

    (S) CONCUR MESSAGE READ AND TAKEN UP

  5. 2026-05-19 2957

    (H) VERSION: SB 239 AM H

  6. 2026-05-19 2957

    (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S) AS AMENDED

  7. 2026-05-19 2955

    (H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): GALVIN, EISCHEID, MCCABE, SADDLER, JOSEPHSON, MINA

  8. 2026-05-19 2905

    (H) TITLE CHANGE: HCR 29

  9. 2026-05-19 2904

    (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  10. 2026-05-19 2904

    (H) PASSED Y39 A1

  11. 2026-05-19 2904

    (H) READ THE THIRD TIME SB 239 AM H

  12. 2026-05-19 2904

    (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING UC

  13. 2026-05-19 2904

    (H) ...CHANGES TITLE OF LEGISLATION

  14. 2026-05-19 2903

    (H) AM NO 3 ADOPTED UC

  15. 2026-05-19 2903

    (H) AM NO 2 NOT OFFERED

  16. 2026-05-19 2903

    (H) ...CHANGES TITLE OF LEGISLATION

  17. 2026-05-19 2901

    (H) AM NO 1 ADOPTED UC

  18. 2026-05-19 2901

    (H) READ THE SECOND TIME

  19. 2026-05-18 2883

    (H) NOT TAKEN UP 5/18 - ON 5/19 CALENDAR

  20. 2026-05-18 2883

    (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/18/2026

  21. 2026-05-07 2446

    (H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): SCHRAGE

  22. 2026-05-06 2415

    (H) FN1: ZERO(ADM)

  23. 2026-05-06 2415

    (H) DP: VANCE, MCCABE, ST. CLAIR, HOLLAND, HIMSCHOOT, STORY, CARRICK

  24. 2026-05-06 2415

    (H) STA RPT 7DP

  25. 2026-05-05 Text

    (H) Moved SB 239 Out of Committee

  26. 2026-05-05 Text

    (H) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:15 PM GRUENBERG 120

  27. 2026-05-01 2381

    (H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): SCHWANKE

  28. 2026-04-30 2365

    (H) CROSS SPONSOR(S): FIELDS, ST. CLAIR

  29. 2026-04-30 2351

    (H) STA

  30. 2026-04-30 2351

    (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  31. 2026-04-29 2417

    (S) VERSION: SB 239

  32. 2026-04-29 2417

    (S) TRANSMITTED TO (H)

  33. 2026-04-29 2415

    (S) COSPONSOR(S): RAUSCHER, KAUFMAN, MERRICK, YUNDT

  34. 2026-04-29 2415

    (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  35. 2026-04-29 2414

    (S) PASSED Y20 N-

  36. 2026-04-29 2414

    (S) READ THE THIRD TIME SB 239

  37. 2026-04-28 2387

    (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 4/29 CAL

  38. 2026-04-28 2387

    (S) READ THE SECOND TIME

  39. 2026-04-28 2387

    (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 4/28/2026

  40. 2026-04-22 2320

    (S) FN1: ZERO(ADM)

  41. 2026-04-22 2320

    (S) NR: WIELECHOWSKI

  42. 2026-04-22 2320

    (S) DP: GRAY-JACKSON, TILTON, BJORKMAN

  43. 2026-04-22 2320

    (S) AM: KAWASAKI

  44. 2026-04-22 2320

    (S) STA RPT 1AM 3DP 1NR

  45. 2026-04-21 Text

    (S) Moved SB 239 Out of Committee

  46. 2026-04-21 Text

    (S) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  47. 2026-03-31 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  48. 2026-03-31 Text

    (S) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  49. 2026-03-26 Text

    (S) Uniform Rule 23 Waived -- MEETING CANCELED --

  50. 2026-03-26 Text

    (S) STATE AFFAIRS at 03:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  51. 2026-03-25 2049

    (S) FN1: ZERO(ADM)

  52. 2026-03-25 2049

    (S) NR: KIEHL, STEDMAN, TOBIN

  53. 2026-03-25 2049

    (S) DP: BJORKMAN

  54. 2026-03-25 2049

    (S) TRA RPT 1DP 3NR

  55. 2026-03-24 Text

    (S) Moved SB 239 Out of Committee

  56. 2026-03-24 Text

    (S) TRANSPORTATION at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  57. 2026-03-23 2030

    (S) STA WAIVED PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE,RULE 23

  58. 2026-02-26 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  59. 2026-02-26 Text

    (S) TRANSPORTATION at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  60. 2026-02-11 1664

    (S) COSPONSOR(S): MYERS, KAWASAKI, BJORKMAN, CRONK

  61. 2026-02-11 1660

    (S) TRA, STA

  62. 2026-02-11 1660

    (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Official Summary Text

MOTOR VEHICLES: REG/COMM EXAM/INSURANCE
An Act relating to commercial motor vehicle licensing examinations; relating to the registration and titling of legally imported motor vehicles; relating to proof of financial responsibility for suspension for nonpayment of judgments; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SB0239b -1- SB 239 am H
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS1371\A.A

SENATE BILL NO. 239 am H

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION

BY SENATORS TILTON, Myers, Kawasaki, Bjorkman, Cronk, Rauscher, Kaufman, Merrick, Yundt

REPRESENTATIVES Fields, St. Clair, Schwanke, Schrage, Galvin, Eischeid, McCabe, Saddler, Josephson,
Mina

Amended: 5/19/26
Introduced: 2/11/26

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to commercial motor vehicle licensing examinations; relating to the 1
registration and titling of legally imported motor vehicles; relating to proof of financial 2
responsibility for suspension for nonpayment of judgments; and providing for an 3
effective date." 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 5
* Section 1. AS 28.10 is amended by adding a new section to read: 6
Sec. 28.10.068. Registration of legally imported vehicles. If a vehicle is at 7
least 25 years old and was legally imported into the United States, the department may 8
not require that the vehicle comply with current federal motor vehicle safety standards 9
before registering the vehicle under this chapter. 10
* Sec. 2. AS 28.10.221 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 11
(e) If a vehicle is registered under AS 28.10.068, the department may not 12
refuse, suspend, or revoke a certificate of title based on the vehicle's failure to comply 13
with current federal motor vehicle safety standards. 14
34-LS1371\A.A
SB 239 am H -2- SB0239b
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

* Sec. 3. AS 28.20.330(b) is amended to read: 1
(b) The proof required by (a) of this section shall be maintained 2
(1) for one year from the date the judgment is stayed or satisfied if 3
the suspension is the person's first suspension under AS 28.20.270; 4
(2) for three years from the date the judgment is stayed or satisfied 5
if the suspension is the person's second suspension under AS 28.20.270; 6
(3) for 10 years from the date the judgment is stayed or satisfied if 7
the suspension is the person's third suspension under AS 28.20.270; 8
(4) during the period the person has a license or nonresident's 9
operating privilege if the suspension is the person's fourth or subsequent 10
suspension under AS 28.20.270. 11
* Sec. 4. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 12
read: 13
APPLICABILITY. AS 28.20.330(b), as amended by sec. 3 of this Act, applies to 14
suspensions occurring before, on, or after the effective date of sec. 3 of this Act. 15
* Sec. 5. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 16
read: 17
TRANSITION: NOTIFICATION. Within six months after the effective date of sec. 3 18
of this Act, an insurance company doing business in the state shall provide notice of the 19
provisions of sec. 3 of this Act to the company's customers in this state who maintain proof of 20
financial responsibility as required under AS 28.20.330. 21
* Sec. 6. AS 28.33.100 is amended by adding a new subsection to read. 22
(j) If an applicant does not successfully complete any portion of a driving test 23
required under this section, the department may only require the applicant to retake the 24
failed or incomplete portion of the test. 25
* Sec. 7. Sections 1 and 2 of this Act take effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 26