Legislature(2017 - 2018)BARNES 124

04/26/2017 01:00 PM House RESOURCES

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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
+= HB 197 COMMUNITY SEED LIBRARIES TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Public Testimony --
+= HB 107 FISH ENHANCEMENT PERMITS TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
-- Public Testimony --
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
                HB 197-COMMUNITY SEED LIBRARIES                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:27:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR TARR  announced that  the final  order of business  would                                                              
be HOUSE  BILL NO.  197, "An  Act relating  to the  duties of  the                                                              
commissioner of  natural resources;  relating to agriculture;  and                                                              
relating to community seed libraries."                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:29:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  JOSEPHSON   moved  to   adopt  the  proposed   committee                                                              
substitute (CS)  for HB 197, Version 30-LS0493\O,  Wayne, 4/24/17,                                                              
as the working document.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR TARR objected for discussion purposes.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:29:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TERRANOVA   TASKER,  Staff,   Representative  Jennifer   Johnston,                                                              
Alaska State  Legislature, on  behalf of Representative  Johnston,                                                              
sponsor,  explained that  Version O  amends section  4 to  address                                                              
some of the issues  brought up by the community and  at the bill's                                                              
last hearing.   She  said [on  page 3,  lines 17-19 add  language]                                                              
that would  allow for  personal noncommercial  transfer of  seeds.                                                              
This is  the issue  where someone's  grandmother could  give seeds                                                              
to her neighbors  and it would not be in violation  of any code or                                                              
regulation,  but that  would exist  outside of  the seed  library.                                                              
On [page  4, lines 7-9  add language] that  would allow  for seeds                                                              
from a  plant that is  grown outside Alaska  to be used in  a seed                                                              
library as long  as there is compliance with  interstate transport                                                              
of  commercial seeds.   On  page 4,  line 15,  would increase  the                                                              
volume  of seed  sharing to  one pound,  which is  in response  to                                                              
public comment that  the previous amount was not  enough for those                                                              
seeds that  are larger and heavier.   On page 4, lines  27-30, add                                                              
language that  would not  allow anyone to  use marijuana  seeds as                                                              
it pertains  to seed libraries because  that is not the  intent of                                                              
the bill.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:31:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR JOSEPHSON  referenced a  criticism by P.S.  Holloway, who                                                              
asked why the bill  is necessary when it is a  deregulated process                                                              
now.   Also,  he  continued,  the  current unregulated  system  is                                                              
free.  He inquired as to why the current system isn't working.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS.  TASKER replied  that this  bill comes  about because  current                                                              
statute  says any  seed in  the state  must be  regulated.   Then,                                                              
going  to  code,  there are  two  pages  of  regulation  regarding                                                              
germination percentages,  weights, and  everything that  is needed                                                              
for commercial  operations.   It seems to  not be regulated  based                                                              
on  the interpretation  of the  [Department  of Natural  Resources                                                              
(DNR)],  she said,  so the  bill carves  out a  section that  seed                                                              
libraries  can exist  and then  they  can have  control over  what                                                              
goes  on.     She   deferred  to  Mr.   Rob  Carter   for  further                                                              
explanation.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:33:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ROB  CARTER,   manager,  Plant   Materials  Center,   Division  of                                                              
Agriculture,  DNR, responded  that it is  an unfortunate  misnomer                                                              
from  individuals  who are  not  familiar  with the  current  seed                                                              
regulations in Title  11 of the Alaska Administrative  Code (AAC),                                                              
Chapter  34.  He  explained that  multiple sections  of this  code                                                              
say that any seed  transported around the state of  Alaska for use                                                              
in  planting,  no  matter  the quantity,  must  meet  the  state's                                                              
labeling  requirements   for  rigorous   germination   purity  and                                                              
invasive weed  testing.  These  requirements, he said,  defeat the                                                              
purpose of  noncommercial seed  sharing because these  individuals                                                              
have no intent to  sell or generate revenue; they  do it for rural                                                              
food  security  and  genetic  diversity.    It  is  regulated,  he                                                              
advised, but  is not enforced  by DNR upon  Alaskans who  are just                                                              
trying to provide  closer, better, fresher food,  and keep genetic                                                              
diversity among seeds within the state of Alaska.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:35:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR JOSEPHSON  offered his  understanding that Mr.  Carter is                                                              
saying that this  is more regulated than people  believe, pursuant                                                              
to Title  11 of the Alaska  Administrative Code.   Therefore, this                                                              
legislation springs out of that regulation in a sense.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR. CARTER  answered correct;  people don't  understand that  both                                                              
the  Federal Seed  Act and  the  accessory code  regulate seed  in                                                              
Alaska.   But, he reiterated,  it is not  in the best  interest of                                                              
the  division  [to enforce]  because  there  are "bigger  fish  to                                                              
fry."   Seed laws  are passed  with good  intention, he  said, and                                                              
have been  around for  a long time.   It is  just in  recent years                                                              
that  other   states  have  been   applying  these  laws   to  the                                                              
noncommercial seed  sharing and seed  libraries that are  more fit                                                              
for consumer  protection and protection  of the farming  community                                                              
and  the agriculture  industry,  and applying  those laws  without                                                              
reason.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:36:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JOHNSON  asked   whether  there  is  a  difference                                                              
between "community seed library" and just "seed library."                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. CARTER replied  that there is no difference and  that there is                                                              
a multitude of common  names.  People in the seed  regulatory side                                                              
in the  agricultural industry  look at  them as the  noncommercial                                                              
seed  sharing  activities  that  are  normally  located  within  a                                                              
library,   nonprofit,  community   organization,   or  a   private                                                              
organization that has space to allow one.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:38:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PARISH observed  that on page  3, lines  24-27 set                                                              
up a contrast  between plants grown  outside the state  and inside                                                              
the state  by saying,  "outside the state,  and imported  into the                                                              
state  in compliance  with  AS 03.05.010(a)(5);  or  [(2)] in  the                                                              
state, and  untreated with a  substance toxic to  humans, animals,                                                              
or  pollinating  insects."    He  inquired  whether  this  statute                                                              
allows plants  that are treated  with substances toxic  to humans,                                                              
animals, or pollinating insects.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR.  CARTER offered  his belief  that it  does.   He advised  that                                                              
plants  and seeds are  very different  critters  when it comes  to                                                              
the  regulatory  process.    Speaking  only  to  seeds,  any  seed                                                              
currently that  is being  made available for  sale or  offered for                                                              
sale  must  have  that  specifically   on  its  label  within  the                                                              
package.  In this  case, it is not allowing that  within community                                                              
seed libraries.   He offered  his professional opinion  that these                                                              
labeling  requirements be  met, and  that there  be due  diligence                                                              
because  individuals in  a free,  noncommercial  seed library  may                                                              
have  children there  and sometimes  the seed  coatings that  have                                                              
been treated  with a pesticide  are in  bright colors.   To remove                                                              
the possibility  that an  individual might get  sick or  very sick                                                              
and die  from ingestion  of those,  he advised that  it is  in the                                                              
best  interest  of noncommercial  use  to  not allow  that  within                                                              
noncommercial seed libraries.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
2:40:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH  agreed that  a seed library  shouldn't have                                                              
any seeds that have  been treated with toxic substances.   He said                                                              
he  is  having  trouble  seeing   why  seeds  treated  with  toxic                                                              
substances should  be allowed in community seed  libraries if they                                                              
are  coming  from out  of  state.    He requested  Mr.  Carter  to                                                              
provide clarity in this regard.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR.  CARTER suggested  Representative  Parish talk  with the  bill                                                              
sponsor if  he believes the language  on page 3, lines  24-27, has                                                              
a loophole  for out-of-state  seed to be  treated and  shared with                                                              
community  seed  libraries.    Mr.   Carter  said  he  thinks  the                                                              
language could be interpreted either way.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:42:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  TARR surmised  it would  be  difficult if  a plant  were                                                              
being brought into  the state to be able to certify  what happened                                                              
prior to it coming to Alaska.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR.  CARTER agreed  it would  be  very difficult  to regulate  all                                                              
imported  plants and  said the  Division of  Agriculture does  not                                                              
currently do that.   He advised that many of the  chemicals in the                                                              
systemic  pesticides  used to  treat  plants  do not  carry  forth                                                              
within  the progeny  of the seed  and he  therefore doesn't  think                                                              
that is a necessary step within this legislation.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:42:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH  said that if the provision  that seeds from                                                              
outside  the state  should be  similarly untreated  it would  seem                                                              
that a  nationwide  standard, such  as organic,  could be  used to                                                              
avoid having to regulate every other state.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  TARR advised there  are imported  vegetable starts  that                                                              
are organic, but  said it would be very difficult  to do this with                                                              
flowers  or other showy  plants  because she  cannot think  of any                                                              
opportunity  to  purchase  certified  organic  garden  landscaping                                                              
plants.  She requested Mr. Carter's comment in this regard.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. CARTER  agreed with Co-Chair Tarr.   He advised that  the U.S.                                                              
Department  of  Agriculture  (USDA)  organic standard  is  a  USDA                                                              
program  and  therefore  putting  that  type  of  language  within                                                              
legislation could  be very limiting.   He said he thinks  it is up                                                              
to  the  individual seed  person  to  do  their due  diligence  to                                                              
provide the  seed that is  best for the  community.   He cautioned                                                              
that the organic label is something to be very "wise" about.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:44:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR TARR removed  her objection to adopting Version  O as the                                                              
working document.   There  being no  further objection,  Version O                                                              
was before the committee.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:45:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR TARR reopened public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:45:29 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DEIRDRE HELFFREICH  testified that there  is a need for  this bill                                                              
simply  to establish  the legality  of  community seed  libraries.                                                              
There is  a difference  between a  seed library  and a  seed bank,                                                              
she pointed  out.  The  seed vault in  Norway holds  germplasm for                                                              
particular individuals  or companies.  They are  required to share                                                              
the first  generation with  other researchers,  but otherwise  the                                                              
seeds  are held  in deep freeze  like  would be done  in a  living                                                              
museum.   A  seed library  is trying  to  establish living  plants                                                              
that   have  adapted   to  a   certain  area,   and  to   increase                                                              
biodiversity, educate the community, and help fellow gardeners.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. HELFFREICH stated  she has some concerns with Version  O.  She                                                              
drew attention  to the provision  in [subsection] (c)  that begins                                                              
on page 3, line  30, and which states, "Seed  given, exchanged, or                                                              
offered for giving  or exchange under (b) of this  section must be                                                              
packaged  for sale and  labeled with  ...."   She said  the [five]                                                              
labeling requirements  that follow [on  page 4, lines  1-6,] would                                                              
put an  undue burden  on seed  libraries and  would result  in yet                                                              
another  volunteer event  that a  seed library  would have  to do.                                                              
She  noted she  is speaking  for  herself, but  that  she was  the                                                              
founder of the seed  library in Ester.  She also  pointed out that                                                              
the provision  refers  to sellers  and packaging  for sale  and is                                                              
contradicted  by  [paragraph] (5)  on  page  4, lines  5-6,  which                                                              
state, "the statement   Not authorized for commercial  use and not                                                              
classified, graded,  or inspected by  the State of Alaska."    She                                                              
said  there is  an inherent  contradiction  and that  part of  the                                                              
provision  looks like it  is created  for sellers  and part  of it                                                              
looks  like  it  is  created  for  individuals  and  organizations                                                              
giving seeds.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MS.  HELFFREICH  further  pointed out  that  making  organizations                                                              
responsible for keeping  track of how much a person  receives in a                                                              
year,  or just receives,  is problematic.   She  also stated  that                                                              
the  labeling  requirement  on page  4,  line  2, to  include  the                                                              
seller's  name   and  address,   would  result  in   fewer  people                                                              
participating in these organizations.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS. HELFFREICH  said she has  14 years of professional  experience                                                              
working  as  the  science  editor  at  the  University  of  Alaska                                                              
Fairbanks  (UAF)  School  of Natural  Resources  and  Agricultural                                                              
Sciences.   She  noted  she has  submitted  written testimony  and                                                              
reiterated her appreciation for the bill.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:51:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR TARR  advised that the  committee intends to  consider an                                                              
amendment  that would  address in  part  Ms. Helffreich's  concern                                                              
about the  seller's name and address.   Regarding the  tracking of                                                              
weight, she noted  that Version O raises the weight  to one pound.                                                              
She asked whether  this would address Ms. Helffreich's  concern or                                                              
whether her concern  is that tracking the cumulative  amount would                                                              
be challenging.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MS. HELFFREICH replied  that her concern is the idea  of having to                                                              
track [the weight].                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:51:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JAN FLORA testified  she appreciates HB 197 and  Version O because                                                              
it  would help  with  Alaska's  food  security concern  and  would                                                              
build  community resilience.   She  said that  until she read  the                                                              
bill  she had  no idea  that seed  savers and  seed swappers  were                                                              
outlawed.   She noted Homer  has over 200  high tunnels,  the most                                                              
in any zip code  in the entire U.S.  Small  agriculture is booming                                                              
in  Homer, she  continued, and  people in  Homer want  to build  a                                                              
seed library,  so the  bill would  help with  this and  would help                                                              
the Homer community grow more food for its families.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:53:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH  referred to the concern that  the packaging                                                              
requirements would  be a burden  to seed libraries.   He requested                                                              
Ms. Flora's thoughts in this regard.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MS. FLORA responded  that she concurs with the  witness expressing                                                              
this  concern.   She said she  doesn't  want to put  her name  and                                                              
address on the seeds.   The seeds are swapped with  friends and it                                                              
is known  where they  go.  She  suggested that  for purposes  of a                                                              
community  seed library,  perhaps a  binder could  be kept,  and a                                                              
code put on the  packages for tracking where the  seeds come from,                                                              
so  there is  some capability  of tracing  seeds.   She noted  the                                                              
bill  states that  DNR  should publish  where  the seed  libraries                                                              
are; however,  she continued,  DNR already  publishes a  directory                                                              
for Alaska  Grown that  lists all  the farmers  and stock  growers                                                              
that  voluntarily want  to be  in  the directory.   She  suggested                                                              
that  this  directory  would  be  a good  place  to  publish  seed                                                              
library information.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:55:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR TARR closed public testimony.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:55:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR TARR moved  to adopt Amendment 1,  labeled 30-LS0493\O.1,                                                              
Shutts, 4/26/17, which read:                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     Page 3, line 31:                                                                                                           
          Delete "for sale"                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Page 4, line 2:                                                                                                            
          Delete "seller's name and address"                                                                                    
          Insert "name and address of the person giving or                                                                      
     offering the seed"                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     Page 4, line 3:                                                                                                            
          Delete "for sale"                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Page 4, lines 7 - 9:                                                                                                       
          Delete all material.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Page 4, lines 12 - 14:                                                                                                     
          Delete "(1) that is harvested from a plant grown                                                                      
      outside the state unless the seed is in the original                                                                      
     packaging in which it was imported into the state;                                                                         
               (2)"                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Page 4, lines 22 - 23:                                                                                                     
          Delete "AS 03.20.110 - 03.20.160"                                                                                     
          Insert "AS 03.20.110 - 03.20.150"                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Page 5, lines 3 - 4:                                                                                                       
          Delete all material.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
2:55:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR JOSEPHSON objected for discussion purposes.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:55:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR TARR explained  that Amendment 1 would,  in part, address                                                              
the  issue  of  information  that  is  required.    She  said  the                                                              
amendment  would remove  some  of the  confusion  about "the  sale                                                              
element of  it" by deleting the  words "for sale" on page  3, line                                                              
31.   Thus,  line 31  would read,  "section must  be packaged  and                                                              
labeled  with".     She  said  Amendment  1  would   also  do  the                                                              
following:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
   • delete from page 4, line 2, the words "seller's name and                                                                   
     address" and insert "name and address of the person giving                                                                 
     or offering the seed"                                                                                                      
   • delete from page 4, line 3, the words "for sale"                                                                           
   • delete all the language [of subsection (d)] on page 4,                                                                     
     lines 7-9, to get at some of the issue about where seed was                                                                
     grown                                                                                                                      
   • delete all the language on page 4, lines 12-14                                                                             
   • change the statutory reference on page 4, lines 22-23                                                                      
   • delete all the language on page 5, lines 3-4                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:57:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR JOSEPHSON  asked why the  definition of  "exchange" would                                                              
not be needed.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MS.  TASKER answered  that because  the bill's  language has  been                                                              
cleaned  up with the  removal of  buy or  sell, Legislative  Legal                                                              
Services  has  advised  that  "exchange"   does  not  need  to  be                                                              
defined.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR TARR  stated that a  conceptual amendment to  Amendment 1                                                              
could be considered  regarding the name and address  of the person                                                              
giving  or  offering  the  seed.     She  requested  Mr.  Carter's                                                              
thoughts  about  the suggestion  that  this information  could  be                                                              
held in  a binder, so  it would be  available, but  not physically                                                              
on the package,  in order to address the concerns  of those people                                                              
not  wanting  to  give out  their  personal  information  [on  the                                                              
package].                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR.  CARTER answered  he  thinks removal  of  that language  would                                                              
simplify that  process.  He offered  his belief that, from  a seed                                                              
regulatory  aspect, as long  as there  was a  sign above  the seed                                                              
library  itself with  the name  and  address of  the seed  library                                                              
above the seed  sharing activities within that  facility, it would                                                              
meet the requirements of this legislation.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:59:45 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PARISH,  in  response   to  Mr.  Carter's  answer,                                                              
offered  his understanding  that  from the  point of  view of  the                                                              
department it  would be  sufficient to have  the name  and address                                                              
of  the seed  library rather  than  the provider  of the  original                                                              
seed.                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR. CARTER replied that is correct.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  TARR  clarified  that  the name  and  address  would  be                                                              
specific  to the  seed  library, not  specific  to the  individual                                                              
person.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:00:21 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER  asked who  is responsible if  the address                                                              
of the seller is on the packet.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR TARR  responded the  name and address  could be  the seed                                                              
library  and location,  rather than  the  name of  the person  who                                                              
donated the seeds to that library.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  RAUSCHER asked  who would  be responsible  and who                                                              
would  be contacted  in case  of problems  if it  is the name  and                                                              
address of the seed library, not the [seed] producer.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS. TASKER replied  that the purpose of creating  a community seed                                                              
library is  that it gives  the department a  place to go  if there                                                              
is a problem,  and allows some path  for tracking if need  be.  In                                                              
the  smaller communities,  regardless  of  whether someone's  name                                                              
and  address  were  written  down,  the  community  members  would                                                              
likely  know who  is  giving  what seeds.    She deferred  to  Mr.                                                              
Carter to answer the question further.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR. CARTER  responded that who is  liable is a  difficult question                                                              
and he  is not sure  what [a seed  library's] liability  would be.                                                              
If the  issue was an  invasive weed, or  marijuana seed  was being                                                              
exchanged,   or   another   item  that   this   legislation   made                                                              
inapplicable   [to   current   regulation],   it  would   be   the                                                              
responsibility of the seed library to stop that activity.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:02:42 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  WESTLAKE  stated  the intent  of  the  bill is  to                                                              
allow people to exchange seeds.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JOHNSON  thanked the  bill  sponsor  for her  hard                                                              
work  and response  to people's  opinions by  rewriting the  bill.                                                              
She  said that  while  the state  must do  due  diligence when  it                                                              
comes  to invasive  species and  so  on, people  will continue  to                                                              
share seeds.  She expressed her support for the bill.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:04:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND  moved to adopt Conceptual  Amendment 1 to                                                              
Amendment 1, to change line 6 to read as follows:                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
      Insert "name of seed library giving or offering the                                                                       
     seed"                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  TARR   objected  for   discussion  purposes.     Drawing                                                              
attention  to page 3,  line 20,  Version O,  she pointed  out that                                                              
Section  03.20.120 is  the community  seed library  section.   So,                                                              
she  said, while  it  says  the name  and  address  of the  person                                                              
giving  or  offering  the  seed,   it  is  supposed  to  mean  the                                                              
community seed library because it is in that section.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:05:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   DRUMMOND   addressed  her   proposed   conceptual                                                              
amendment to Amendment  1.  She noted that the  objection heard in                                                              
testimony  was that  people didn't  want the  name and address  of                                                              
the giver of the  seed.  The suggestion heard  in conversation was                                                              
replace the  giver's name and  address with  the name of  the seed                                                              
library that was the source of the seed.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR TARR  explained that  the way  the language is  currently                                                              
written,  it actually  is the community  seed  library.  She  said                                                              
Conceptual  Amendment 1  to Amendment  1 could  be considered  for                                                              
points  of  clarity, but  asked  whether  Representative  Drummond                                                              
would like to remove the word "address".                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND  asked whether  the seed library  is being                                                              
referred to as the person.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR TARR answered yes.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   DRUMMOND   further   addressed   her   conceptual                                                              
amendment to  Amendment 1.  She  said it should only say  the name                                                              
of  the seed  library.   If the  community being  talked about  is                                                              
Ester, for  example, Mr. Carter will  know it is the  seed library                                                              
in Ester.   Also,  as stated in  testimony, it  would take  half a                                                              
page  in  the  [Alaska  Grown directory]  to  list  all  the  seed                                                              
libraries.   She stated she is  trying to address the  concerns of                                                              
the testifiers  and the concern she  heard loud and clear  is that                                                              
they  do not  want their  names  and addresses  distributed.   The                                                              
seed library  should be tracking these  things and if there  is an                                                              
issue with the seed  and there is a need to find  out from whom it                                                              
came, the seed library can be responsible for tracking that.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:07:40 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JENNIFER   JOHNSTON,  Alaska   State  Legislature,                                                              
sponsor, offered her  opinion that the language should  be left as                                                              
is because  there are opportunities  for individuals to act  in an                                                              
exchange where it  might still be wanted to have  the individual's                                                              
name and address there versus just the seed library.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH  spoke in support of Conceptual  Amendment 1                                                              
to Amendment 1.   It would be adequate, he continued,  to say that                                                              
a community  seed  library should  make reasonable  accommodations                                                              
for  participants  to  know  X,  Y, and  Z,  to  avoid  having  to                                                              
individually label each package.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR TARR  restated Conceptual Amendment  1 to Amendment  1 as                                                              
follows:   On line 6, after  "name" insert "of the  community seed                                                              
library" and  delete "and address  of the  person".  Thus,  line 6                                                              
would  read,  "name  of  the  community  seed  library  giving  or                                                              
offering the seed."                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND confirmed the restatement as correct.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:09:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  TARR  removed  her  objection.   There  being  no  other                                                              
objection, Conceptual Amendment 1 to Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
3:09:51 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH  noted that Amendment 1 removes  a couple of                                                              
restrictions on  seeds that originate  out of state, one  of those                                                              
being  that  the seeds  should  be  in their  original  packaging.                                                              
Removal   of  these  restrictions,   he   said,  makes  him   less                                                              
comfortable with  the bill, particularly  for setting a  number of                                                              
other requirements  on it, in which  the origin of the  seed could                                                              
be lost.   He reiterated his earlier  concern that if  it is going                                                              
to be made unclear  which seeds are coming from  instate and which                                                              
seeds are not, it  only makes it more important that  they be held                                                              
to the same standards  with regard to toxins.   With the amendment                                                              
as  offered, he  posited, there  is  no reason  why seeds  treated                                                              
with  neonicotinoids, for  example, couldn't  be passed  off  in a                                                              
community seed library.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
MS. TASKER  said she and  Mr. Carter talked  about the  removal of                                                              
that  specific  language,  "the   original  packaging",  and  this                                                              
language  would  make this  process  more complicated  for  people                                                              
trying  to share  seeds.   She offered  her  understanding that  a                                                              
seed going  out of any  state must still  comply with  the Federal                                                              
Seed Act and  there still are safeguards to prevent  harmful seeds                                                              
from going  one place  to another  without any  control.   So, she                                                              
continued, [Amendment  1] would not remove any  safeguards, rather                                                              
it is an access issue.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:12:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR TARR rescinded her motion to move Amendment 1.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
[HB 197 was held over.]                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 107 Amendment 1 on 4.21.17.pdf HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Opposing Document - Letter in Opposition 4.25.17_Redacted.pdf HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Opposing Document - Letter in Opposition Rinella 4.25.17.pdf HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Opposing Document - Letter in Opposition Adkison 4.25.17.pdf HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Gary Martinek's comments about KRSA opposing comments 4-25-17.pdf HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB 107 Amendment 2 on 4.25.17.pdf HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Opposing Document - Trout Unlimited Letter 4.25.17.pdf HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Additional Documentation. Considerations for Salmon Restoration Planning.pdf HFSH 2/28/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Additional Documents, Josephson Permitting process letter.pdf HFSH 2/28/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Additional Documentation. Egg Survival Rate Comparrison.pdf HFSH 2/28/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Fiscal Note DFG-DCF-02-24-17.pdf HFSH 2/28/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Gulkana Incubation Picture.pdf HFSH 2/28/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Moist air incubator picture.pdf HFSH 2/28/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Sponsor Statement 2.8.17.pdf HFSH 2/28/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Support ADN Article.pdf HFSH 2/28/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Support Copper Valley Chamber of Commerce.pdf HFSH 2/28/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Support Doyon 2.14.17.pdf HFSH 2/28/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Support Mentasta Council.pdf HFSH 2/28/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Support Nenana City School District 2.16.17.pdf HFSH 2/28/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Support Pete Velsko.pdf HFSH 2/28/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Ver O.PDF HFSH 2/28/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Sectional Analysis 2.8.2017.pdf HFSH 2/28/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB107 Explanation of Changes O to U.pdf HFSH 4/18/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 ver U.pdf HFSH 4/18/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Supporting Document SEAFA 4.6.17.pdf HFSH 4/18/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB 107 Sponsor Statement 2.8.17.pdf HRES 4/19/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB107 Opposing Document Friccero.pdf HFSH 4/18/2017 10:00:00 AM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107
HB 197 Sponsor Statement.pdf HRES 4/10/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/12/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/17/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/19/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/28/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 197
HB197 Version J 4.5.2017.pdf HRES 4/10/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/12/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/17/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/19/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/28/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 197
HB197 Sectional Analysis ver J 4.6.2017.pdf HRES 4/10/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/12/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/17/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/19/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/28/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 197
HB197 Fiscal Note - DNR-PMC 4.7.17.pdf HRES 4/10/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/12/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/17/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/19/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/28/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 197
HB197 Supporting Document - Article. Seed Bill 4.9.17.pdf HRES 4/10/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/12/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/17/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/19/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/28/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 197
HB197. Version O.pdf HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/28/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 197
Explanation of Changes. HB197. Version O.pdf HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 4/28/2017 1:00:00 PM
HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 197
HB107 Opposition Documents - Letters of Opposition 4.26.17.pdf HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM
HB 107