02/12/2024 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE

                  HB 289-BUSINESS LICENSE FEES                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:24:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER announced  that the next order of  business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL  NO. 289, "An  Act relating to business  license fees;                                                               
and providing for an effective date."                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER opened public testimony on HB 289.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
3:24:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DON  HABEGER, representing  self, testified  in opposition  of HB
. He gave  context to his background in business  in Alaska by                                                               
using  an example  of his  own company.  He said  that currently,                                                               
business licensing  is paid for by  its own fees, and  added that                                                               
if the  fees were to  be increased, the  money would be  used for                                                               
marketing. He said that the  "general shotgun approach" marketing                                                               
doesn't help  small businesses,  that the  money would  be better                                                               
off  in the  business owner's  pocket.  He proposed  a change  in                                                               
language  to  Section  1  of   HB  289  to  include  "after  sole                                                               
proprietorship" and  to include  the words  "or single  member, a                                                               
domestic limited liability company",  and explained the perceived                                                               
benefit of such a language change.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
3:27:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  SUMNER,  after ascertaining  there  was  no one  else  who                                                               
wished to testify, closed public testimony on HB 289.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:27:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SUMNER announced that HB 289 was held over.