Sign Up
HB 217 Alaska House · 34th Legislature (2025-2026)

An Act relating to commercial motor vehicle licensing examinations; regulating autonomous vehicles; and providing for an effective date.

HB 217 regulates autonomous vehicles in Alaska by requiring them to meet federal safety standards and prohibiting their use in interstate commercial transport (e.g., goods or passengers) unless for personal use or with a human safety operator physically present and able to intervene. The bill establishes that the human safety operator is presumed liable for accidents involving autonomous vehicles unless software, hardware, or modifications caused the incident, with liability flowing first to the operator, then the vehicle modifier, software programmer, and finally the manufacturer. It directly affects autonomous vehicle operators, manufacturers, and safety operators within Alaska, clarifying legal responsibility and operational limits. The law defines "autonomous vehicle" to exclude basic driver-assistance systems (like adaptive cruise control) and specifies that vehicles must have conditional, high, or full driving automation capability. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.
Issues: ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyRestricts autonomous vehicle use in interstate commercial transport, limiting technology deployment in that context.90% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationRegulates autonomous vehicles with federal safety standards and liability rules, enhancing transportation safety and vehicle regulations.95% confidence
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
May 2025
Committee Review
May 2026
House Passage
May 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced May 2, 2025 Last action May 17, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

CSHB 217(CRA) → CSHB 217(CRA) am · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill was amended to clarify its title and add a new section regarding commercial motor vehicle licensing examinations, while also updating the effective date of the act. The core provisions regulating autonomous vehicles remain largely unchanged, though the document numbering and committee references were updated to reflect the amendment.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded to include regulations on commercial motor vehicle licensing examinations, in addition to its existing focus on autonomous vehicles.
SCOPE

Added a new section requiring that if an applicant fails a portion of a driving test, the department can only require them to retake the failed or incomplete portions.

TIMELINE

Updated the effective date of the act from 'immediately' to a specific date of April 29, 2026, and changed the referral status from Rules.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill title to include the new licensing examination provision and changed the bill identifier from CSHB 217(CRA) to CSHB 217(CRA) am.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
62
Key actions
8
Committee
6
Amendments
1
May 17, 2026
Committee
(S) REFERRED TO RULES
upper
May 16, 2026
Upper · Passed
(S) Moved SCS CSHB 217(TRA) Out of Committee -- Please Note Time Change --
upper
May 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
(S) Moved SCS CSHB 217(TRA) Out of Committee -- Please Note Time Change --
upper
May 12, 2026
Committee
(S) STA REFERRAL ADDED AFTER TRA
upper
May 1, 2026
Lower · Passed
(H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
lower
Apr 30, 2026
Lower · Passed
(H) PASSED Y39 E1
lower
Apr 29, 2026
Lower · Passed
(H) AM NO 1 ADOPTED UC
lower
Apr 29, 2026
Lower · Passed
(H) CRA CS ADOPTED UC
lower
Apr 14, 2026
Lower · Passed
(H) Moved CSHB 217(CRA) Out of Committee
lower
Mar 24, 2026
Lower · Passed
(H) Moved CSHB 217(TRA) Out of Committee
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.