04/02/2001 01:10 PM House RES

HCR 13-NONRES. COMMERCIAL FISHING FEES                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
[Contains discussion of HB 194]                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Number 0465                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR SCALZI announced  that the next order  of business would                                                               
be  HOUSE   CONCURRENT  RESOLUTION   NO.  13,  Relating   to  the                                                               
nonresident fee  differential for commercial fishing  permits and                                                               
licenses.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
[There was a motion to adopt  HCR 13 for discussion purposes, but                                                               
it was already before the committee.]                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS  reminded members  that the  committee had                                                               
recently passed  HB 194, a response  to the Carlson case  and the                                                             
supreme  court ruling  that Alaska  could not  charge nonresident                                                               
fishermen three times more than  resident fishermen were charged.                                                               
He recapped that HB 194 was  a practical response to the problems                                                               
Alaska  faced  in that  case.    Representative Stevens  reminded                                                               
those present  that the intent of  HB 194 was to  say that Alaska                                                               
would  charge [nonresident  fishermen] the  most the  court would                                                               
allow  it to  charge.   He  mentioned that  although  HB 194  was                                                               
passed out  of the  House Resources  Standing Committee,  some of                                                               
its members were concerned that the  language of the bill did not                                                               
make as  strong a statement as  should be made; therefore  HCR 13                                                               
was conceived.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  STEVENS stated  that HCR  13 clarifies  the House                                                               
Resources  Standing Committee's  concerns regarding  HB 194,  and                                                               
highlights  the  reasons  why the  committee  thinks  nonresident                                                               
fishermen  should  be  charged   more  than  resident  fishermen,                                                               
including the cost  to the legislature and the court  system.  He                                                               
mentioned page  2, line  28, of  the resolution,  describing that                                                               
line and  ensuing lines as  "a kitchen-sink approach  that tosses                                                               
everything into  the works."  Representative  Stevens stated that                                                               
he would like to see [HCR 13] move right along with [HB 194].                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Number 0220                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  SCALZI summarized  that  HCR 13  "goes  along with  our                                                               
provision  of changing  the way  the  Commercial Fisheries  Entry                                                               
Commission charges  for in-state and out-of-state  licenses."  He                                                               
added that he was satisfied with the resolution.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Number 0180                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STEVENS  moved to report  HCR 13 out  of committee                                                               
with individual recommendations and  the accompanying zero fiscal                                                               
note.   There being  no objection,  HCR 13 was  moved out  of the                                                               
House Resources Standing Committee.