04/10/1993 10:15 AM Senate FIN

                                                                               
  CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 141(L&C):                                             
                                                                               
       An  Act relating to  workers' compensation coverage for                 
       certain   high   school   students   in   uncompensated                 
       work-study programs.                                                    
                                                                               
  Senator Kelly said  that SB 141 sponsored  by Representative                 
  Bettye Davis was  designed to  provide workers  compensation                 
  for work study students receiving  vocational training for a                 
  profit employer.   The employers will not  hire the students                 
  because they are  liable and the  students are not  eligible                 
  for workers  compensation.  This  legislation would  provide                 
  workers  compensation taking  the  liability  away from  the                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  employer.     Since  the   students  do   not  receive   any                 
  compensation  for  the work  study  program, they  would not                 
  receive any compensation if they  were injured.  Only  their                 
  medical expenses would be covered.                                           
                                                                               
  Discussion  followed   between  Senators  Sharp   and  Kelly                 
  regarding  the  coverage  provided  under this  legislation.                 
  Senator Taylor  voiced  his  support  of SB  141,  and  felt                 
  similar legislation should be passed providing  coverage for                 
  prisoners on work programs.                                                  
                                                                               
  SENATOR GEORGE JACKO MOVED for passage of CSSB 141(L&C) from                 
  committee with  individual recommendations.   No  objections                 
  being heard,  CSSB 141(L&C)  was REPORTED  OUT of  committee                 
  with a do pass, with  a zero fiscal note for  the Department                 
  of  Labor,   and  fiscal   notes  for   the  Department   of                 
  Administration  for   $24.0,  and  for  the   Department  of                 
  Education for $24.0.  Co-chair Pearce, Senators Kelly, Jacko                 
  and  Sharp  signed  "do  pass."   Co-chair  Frank,  Senators                 
  Kerttula and Rieger did not sign.                                            
                                                                               
  CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 153(RES):                                             
                                                                               
       An Act  relating to  the exchange  of certain  fish for                 
       seafood products,  custom processing  of certain  fish,                 
       and use of certain fish for charitable purposes.                        
                                                                               
  Senator Robin  Taylor, prime  sponsor of  SB 153, said  that                 
  this bill would allow sport  caught fish to be brought to  a                 
  seafood processor where  it could be  smoked or canned.   He                 
  pointed out  that a tremendous volume of  seafood leaves the                 
  state every year as whole fish  either frozen or fresh.   If                 
  those fish were processed in Alaska, it could mean more jobs                 
  for Alaskans.   Most  sport fishermen  are on  a tight  time                 
  frame and they cannot wait for their fish to be processed in                 
  Alaska.   This bill  would allow  for an  exchange of  sport                 
  caught fish  for already  processed fish.   A  fee would  be                 
  charged   for  processing.      The   processor  could   use                 
  commercially caught  fish to  provide the  exchange but  the                 
  sport caught fish could  not be sold commercially.   He said                 
  that  this  arrangement  is  already  being done  in  Alaska                 
  illegally.  He also felt that SB 153 would provide a  way to                 
  assess the amount of sport caught  salmon leaving the state,                 
  besides  providing  more  jobs  in  Alaska.   Ketchikan  had                 
  estimated that SB 153  would provide a minimum of  $1M worth                 
  of  additional employment  the first  year.   He  said other                 
  areas of the state would benefit also.  The Alaska Troller's                 
  Association had voiced  its concern  over SB 153.   He  said                 
  that a letter  of intent had  been adopted in the  Resources                 
  Committee   which  spoke   to   concerns  regarding   export                 
  limitations and possession  limits, and  asked the Board  of                 
  Fish  to  consider these  concerns  at their  next regularly                 
  scheduled meeting.                                                           
                                                                               
                                                                               
  Senator Jacko voiced his concern regarding  SB 153.  He felt                 
  that it would make it easier for sport caught  fish to leave                 
  the state.  Discussion was had  by Senators Taylor and Jacko                 
  regarding the  procedure for  processing and  the export  of                 
  sport caught  fish.   Senator Jacko  said  that the  tension                 
  between sport and  commercial fishermen was on  the increase                 
  and felt that SB 153 would aggravate it  even more.  Senator                 
  Taylor  argued  that  this   legislation  would  allow   the                 
  Department of Fish and  Game to keep track of  the amount of                 
  sport caught fish  leaving the  state, and through  analysis                 
  decide  whether  more limitations  on  sport fish  should be                 
  established.                                                                 
                                                                               
  Senator  Kelly  MOVED  for  passage  of CSSB  153(RES)  from                 
  committee  with individual  recommendations.   Senator Jacko                 
  OBJECTED.   Co-chair  Pearce announced  that  CSSB  153(RES)                 
  would be held in committee until April 12, 1993.                             
                                                                               
  At the end  of the  meeting, Senator Kelly  again MOVED  for                 
  passage  of  CSSB 153(RES)  from  committee with  individual                 
  recommendations.  No  objections being heard, CSSB  153(RES)                 
  was   REPORTED    OUT   of    committee   with    individual                 
  recommendations, with a zero fiscal  note for the Department                 
  of  Fish  &  Game,  a  fiscal  note for  the  Department  of                 
  Environmental Conservation for $5.0, and  a letter of intent                 
  from  the Resources  Committee.   Co-chair Pearce,  Senators                 
  Kelly, and Sharp signed "do pass."  Senator Jacko signed "no                 
  recommendation."    Co-chair  Frank,  Senators Kerttula  and                 
  Rieger did not sign.