02/19/2014 12:30 PM House CONFERENCE COMMITTEE ON HB 71

         HB 71-AK REGIONAL ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAM                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HAWKER announced  that the only order of  business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL NO. 71, "An Act  extending the termination date of the                                                               
Alaska regional  economic assistance  program; and  providing for                                                               
an  effective  date."   He  noted  that  the committee  would  be                                                               
operating under  Uniform Rule 42, Conference  and Free Conference                                                               
Committees, to consider the proposed committee substitute (CS).                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
12:41:10 PM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DUNLEAVY  moved  to adopt  the  proposed  Free  Conference                                                               
Committee  Substitute  (FCCS)  for HB  71,  labeled  28-LS0288\T,                                                               
Martin, 2/18/14, as the working draft.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR HAWKER objected for discussion.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
12:41:56 PM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
JULI  LUCKY,  Staff,  Representative Mike  Hawker,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature,  noted  the   previously  appointed  and  discharged                                                               
conference  committees, acting  with limited  powers, which  have                                                               
preceded  the appointment  of today's  Free Conference  Committee                                                               
(FCC).   She explained  the language  that has  subsequently been                                                               
proposed,  with accord,  for  the committee  to  consider in  the                                                               
FCCS.    The  Alaska Regional  Development  Organization  (ARDOR)                                                               
programs will be  retroactively reinstated, as of  7/1/13, with a                                                               
new sunset  date of 7/1/16.   Further, the  governing department,                                                               
Department   of  Commerce,   Community  &   Economic  Development                                                               
(DCCED),  will  be  required to  implement  additional  reporting                                                               
about the  activities and projects  of the ARDORs.   Transitional                                                               
language is included  to allow the existing  ARDOR regulations to                                                               
remain  in  place  pending  the   department's  adoption  of  new                                                               
regulations.    The CS  also  reenacts  the vessel-based  limited                                                               
entry  fisheries system  for the  Bering Sea  hair crab  fishery,                                                               
effective immediately  upon passage  of the  bill, with  a sunset                                                               
date of 12/30/18.  A biennial  report on the harvest and earnings                                                               
of the Bering Sea hair  crab fishery is a stipulated requirement,                                                               
commencing  in  2015.     Finally,  she  pointed   out  that  the                                                               
previously   considered   extension   of   the   vessel   limited                                                               
Weathervane  scallop  fishery is  not  included  in the  proposed                                                               
legislation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
12:44:09 PM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  HAWKER  [removed  his   objection],  and  without  further                                                               
objection, Version T was before the committee.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
12:44:47 PM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DUNLEAVY moved  to report FCCS HB  71, 28-LS0288\T, Martin,                                                               
2/18/14,  out of  committee with  individual recommendations  and                                                               
the accompanying  fiscal notes.   Without  objection FCCS  HB 71,                                                               
was moved from the Free Conference Committee on HB 71.