00                            HOUSE BILL NO. 370                                                                          
01 "An Act relating to forested land management and protection from wildland fire and                                      
02 other destructive agents; changing the term 'forest fire' to 'wildland fire' where it                                   
03 appears in the Alaska Statutes; and providing for an effective date."                                                   
04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
05    * Section 1. AS 19.40.010(a) is amended to read:                                                                   
06            (a)  The legislature finds and declares that there is an immediate need for a                                
07       public highway from the Yukon River to the Arctic Ocean and that this public                                      
08       highway should be constructed by the State of Alaska at this time because                                         
09                 (1)  it will assist in the fulfillment of art. VIII, Sec. 1, Constitution of                            
10       the State of Alaska, in which it is provided that it is the policy of the state to encourage                      
11       the settlement of its land and the development of its resources by making them                                    
12       available for maximum use consistent with the public interest;                                                    
13                 (2)  it will provide the first year-round, overland route from north of the                             
14       Yukon River to the Arctic Ocean, and will consequently result in the completion of a                              

01       highway from the Pacific Ocean to the Arctic Ocean;                                                               
02                 (3)  it is in conformity with the policy of 23 U.S.C. 101(b) (Federal-Aid                               
03       Highway Act of 1956), in which it is declared to be in the national interest to                                   
04       accelerate the construction of certain highways which are of primary importance to the                            
05       national defense;                                                                                                 
06                 (4)  it will benefit local and interstate commerce because the area north                               
07       of the Yukon River is rich in natural resources but is inaccessible at the present time                           
08       because of the lack of roads and this inaccessibility prohibits the successful use of the                         
09       natural resources of this area;                                                                                   
10                 (5)  it is consonant with art. VIII, Sec. 2, Constitution of the State of                               
11       Alaska, in which it is provided that the legislature shall provide for the utilization,                           
12       development, and conservation of all natural resources belonging to the state,                                    
13       including land and water, for the maximum benefit of its people, because the highway                              
14       will benefit not only local and interstate commerce but will also augment the revenue                             
15       of the state and result in conservation of natural resources, for example, by facilitating                        
16       a system of wildland [FOREST] fire suppression.                                                               
17    * Sec. 2. AS 33.30.191(g) is amended to read:                                                                      
18            (g)  In this section, "productively employed" includes the following kinds of                                
19       employment:                                                                                                       
20                 (1)  routine maintenance and support services essential to the operation                                
21       of a correctional facility;                                                                                       
22                 (2)  education, including both academic and vocational;                                                 
23                 (3)  public conservation projects, including wildland [FOREST] fire                                 
24       prevention and control, forest and watershed enhancement, recreational area                                       
25       development, construction and maintenance of trails and campsites, fish and game                                  
26       enhancement, soil conservation, and forest watershed revegetation;                                                
27                 (4)  renovation, repair, or alteration of existing correctional facilities as                           
28       permitted by law; and                                                                                             
29                 (5)  other work performed inside or outside of a correctional facility                                  
30       under (b) of this section.                                                                                        
31    * Sec. 3. AS 41.15.010 is amended to read:                                                                         

01            Sec. 41.15.010. Intent. It is the intent of AS 41.15.010 - 41.15.170 to provide                            
02       protection from wildland fire and other destructive agents, commensurate with the                             
03       values [VALUE OF THE RESOURCES] at risk, [FOR THE NATURAL                                                     
04       RESOURCES AND WATERSHEDS] on land that is owned privately, by the state, or                                       
05       by a municipality.                                                                                                
06    * Sec. 4. AS 41.15.040 is amended to read:                                                                         
07            Sec. 41.15.040. Right of entry to control and suppress fires. Upon approval                                
08       by the commissioner or an authorized agent, an employee [EMPLOYEES] of the                                    
09       division of lands, or of any organization authorized to prevent, control, or suppress a                       
10       fire [FIRES] or a destructive agent [AGENTS], and others assisting in the control or                  
11       suppression of a fire [FIRES] upon request of an officer or employee of the United                            
12       States or the state may at any time enter upon any land, whether publicly or privately                            
13       owned, for the purpose of preventing, suppressing, or controlling a wildland fire                             
14       [FOREST FIRES] and a destructive agent [AGENTS].                                                          
15    * Sec. 5. AS 41.15.170 is amended to read:                                                                         
16            Sec. 41.15.170. Definitions. In AS 41.15.010 - 41.15.170,                                              
17                 (1)  "damages" includes costs incurred in suppressing, controlling, or                                  
18       extinguishing a fire;                                                                                             
19                 (2)  "forested land" includes all land on which grass, brush, timber, and                               
20       other natural vegetative material grows;                                                                          
21                 (3)  "wildland [FOREST] fire" includes the uncontrolled burning of                                  
22       grass, brush, timber, and other natural vegetative material.                                                      
23    * Sec. 6. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).