05/12/1999 05:05 PM House RLS

SB  74-SAME DAY AIRBORNE HUNTING                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN COWDERY announced that the first order of business before                                                              
the committee would be SENATE BILL NO. 74, "An Act relating to                                                                  
hunting on the same day airborne."                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Number 0029                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PORTER moved to adopt HCSSB 74(RLS), Version                                                                     
LS0416\H, Utermohle, 5/11/99, as the working document before the                                                                
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ objected in order to understand the                                                                    
distinction between the HCSSB 74(JUD) and the proposed House Rules                                                              
Committee Substitute (CS).                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN COWDERY noted that the sponsor would address that.  The                                                                
motion to adopt the proposed CS, Version H, was for discussion                                                                  
purposes.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ removed his objection.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Number 0085                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PETE KELLY, Sponsor of SB 74, Alaska State Legislature,                                                                 
stated that the only difference is on page 1, line 8.  "We make a                                                               
reference to a statute, that statute is the one that we passed last                                                             
year with the consent of the department.  It was the changes to the                                                             
intent that Game Management, referring to harvestable surpluses,                                                                
high level human harvest, and the Board of Games' identification of                                                             
big game prey populations."                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN COWDERY asked if the statute to which Senator Pete Kelly                                                               
referred was AS 16.05.255(g).                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PETE KELLY replied yes.  He directed the committee to page                                                              
2, line 20 of the proposed CS which deleted the word "agent" which                                                              
is in the House Judiciary CS.  The bill essentially says that one                                                               
still cannot shoot wolves in Alaska on the same day that she/he was                                                             
airborne, unless the person works with the department and is under                                                              
a plan authorized by the Board of Game.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Number 0230                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ referred to page 1, line 4, "[OR ASSIST IN                                                             
SHOOTING]."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PETE KELLY explained that was deleted in the House                                                                      
Judiciary Committee.  The problem is that the department often has                                                              
to hire a helicopter pilot who would deliver a departmental                                                                     
employee to the site.  Therefore, that pilot would technically be                                                               
assisting in the shooting of the wolf, wolverine, et cetera.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ indicated that was understandable.  He                                                                 
expressed concern that this would open the door for someone to fly                                                              
around and radio to those on the ground regarding the location of                                                               
the animals.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PETE KELLY specified that is illegal per other statutes.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ asked if this would open the door for such                                                             
a scenario.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR PETE KELLY informed the committee that this was reviewed by                                                             
biologists in the program who agreed that this would not create a                                                               
problem.  "In fact, in some respects some of their regulations                                                                  
allow them to do that anyway, but this makes it more specific."                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Number 0400                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PORTER moved to report HCSSB 74(RLS), Version                                                                    
LS0416\H, Utermohle, 5/11/99, out of committee with individual                                                                  
recommendations.  There being no objection, it was so ordered.