Legislature(1999 - 2000)
02/18/2000 01:12 PM House RES
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
HB 206 - FISH AND GAME LICENSES & TAGS Number 2075 VICE CHAIR COWDERY announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 206, "An Act relating to the migratory game bird conservation tag, to a nonresident combined sport fishing and hunting license, to the nonresident military small game and sport fishing license, to applications for certain licenses, tags, and permits issued by the Department of Fish and Game, and to duplicate crewmember licenses." REPRESENTATIVE WHITAKER made a motion to adopt the proposed committee substitute (CS) for HB 206, version 1-LS0858\I, Utermohle, 2/16/00, for discussion. There being no objection, it was so ordered and Version I was before the committee. Number 2105 JOHN MANLY, Legislative Aide for Representative John Harris, Alaska State Legislature, indicated that HB 206 is a simple cleanup bill for some extraneous fish and game statutes that were introduced on behalf of the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G). He pointed out that in Version I the term "waterfowl" is replaced with the phrase "migratory game bird" in a number of places, in order to include snipes and cranes. He indicated Section 3 deals with the $5 licenses and free licenses for disabled veterans who hunt for migratory game birds. Section 4 allows the department to create a combination seven-day hunting and fishing license for nonresidents. Section 5, in essence, equalizes the fee paid by nonresident military members when they want to hunt small game or go sport fishing, because of a change in statute a couple of years ago whereby they ended up having to pay more than a nonresident person who is not in the military. Finally, the bill authorizes the ADF&G to issue a replacement crewmember license for commercial fishing for a $5 fee. Number 2336 GERON BRUCE, Legislative Liaison, Office of the Commissioner, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, thanked Representative Harris for introducing HB 206. He indicated that HB 206 is not a bill that raises a lot of policy issues; it is simply a housekeeping bill to update the statutes of the department to changes that occurred in federal law. The bill does benefit some people; for instance, it corrects an inadvertent error in the treatment of nonresident military who are living in Alaska. In addition, it improves the ability of the department to track the harvests of migratory game birds in Alaska. The other changes are minor, and many of the sections are technical sections that conform certain parts of the statute to the major change, which is replacing the term "waterfowl" with the phrase "migratory game bird." REPRESENTATIVE BARNES requested clarification on Section 5 as it relates to members of the military service and how it affects the military person residing in Alaska. MR. BRUCE clarified that currently a nonresident military person who is serving in Alaska is entitled to a small-game hunting license at the same rate as a resident. He explained that several years ago the resident license fee was increased to $25, and there is a nonresident small-game hunting license that is at $20. As a result of raising the resident hunting fee, which was linked to the nonresident military, the nonresident military person is actually paying more to hunt small game in Alaska than is a nonresident. Section 5 corrects that. REPRESENTATIVE BARNES requested clarification. MR. BRUCE clarified that a resident pays less than a nonresident for the full-range hunting license, big game and small game, but there is no resident small-game hunting license. There is only the nonresident small-game hunting license. In response to a further question, he explained that "small game" means "all species of grouse, hare other than the Belgian hare, ptarmigan, waterfowl, crane and snipe." He pointed out that the resident, for his or her hunting license, gets a broader range of hunting opportunities than the nonresident gets for the small-game license. REPRESENTATIVE BARNES indicated that people in the military, when stationed in Alaska, are considered residents after one year and qualify for the same hunting and fishing privileges as any resident. She stated her understanding that it is being changed in the bill. MR. BRUCE explained that they are not changing that. What they are trying to do is to reduce the cost of hunting small game from $25 to $20 for the first year of residency, before one qualifies for the same hunting privileges as a resident. REPRESENTATIVE BARNES said in that case, she could like it. Number 2735 HERB SIMON testified via teleconference from Nelchina. He stated his understanding that there is currently a nonresident military small-game license for $25 and a nonresident small-game license for $20. He said that he does not understand. MR. BRUCE explained that Section 5 will enable the nonresident military person for the first year - when he or she doesn't qualify for residency - to get a small-game license for $20 rather than pay the $25. Number 2861 KEVIN BROOKS, Director, Division of Administrative Services, Alaska Department of Fish & Game, clarified that technically a nonresident military person could purchase the nonresident license. He pointed out that the confusion is coming in with regard to the vendors, because there are 1,500 vendors statewide, and people don't know if they should pay for the $25 license or the $20 license. Section 5 would eliminate that confusion. VICE CHAIR COWDERY wondered if the less expensive license is limited. MR. BROOKS explained that a resident hunting license does not distinguish between small game and big game; therefore, for $25 a person can hunt either. VICE CHAIR COWDERY wondered how much it would cost if a nonresident wanted to hunt both small and big game. MR. BROOKS responded that a nonresident hunting license costs $85, and there are also big-game tag requirements, depending on the species one is hunting. TAPE 00-11, SIDE B VICE CHAIR COWDERY closed public testimony on HB 206. [HB 206 was held over.]
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