03/11/2008 08:00 AM House STATE AFFAIRS

SB 253-MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF GAME                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:32:47 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
VICE CHAIR  ROSES announced that  the last order of  business was                                                               
SENATE  BILL NO.  253, "An  Act  relating to  the appointment  of                                                               
members  of the  Board of  Game; and  providing for  an effective                                                               
date."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
9:33:09 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JODY  SIMPSON,  Staff,  Senator  Charlie  Huggins,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature,  introduced SB  253  on behalf  of Senator  Huggins,                                                               
prime sponsor.   She said the bill, if enacted,  would change the                                                               
expiration date for the terms for  members of the Alaska Board of                                                               
Game from March 1  to June 30.  She said  the statute change will                                                               
accomplish the following:   prevent problems that  arise from the                                                               
short time  frame for  newly appointed  board members  to prepare                                                               
for  the large  regulatory  board meetings  that  occur near  the                                                               
beginning of  March, annually; reduce confusion  among the public                                                               
regarding  which board  member to  contact on  issues; clarify  a                                                               
time  by which  appointments to  the  board should  be made;  and                                                               
bring  the terms  in  line  with those  of  the  Alaska Board  of                                                               
Fisheries.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SIMPSON said  the proposed  change will  also void  problems                                                               
resulting from  having two  or three of  the seven  board members                                                               
serve  in an  unconfirmed status  during the  March meeting  each                                                               
year.   She stated,  "Few members are  aware their  March meeting                                                               
voting  record   will  be   examined  during   their  legislative                                                               
confirmation  hearing,  and there  can  be  undue scrutiny  on  a                                                               
single   vote   instead   of   a   voting   record   in   overall                                                               
qualifications."  She stated that  the proposed adjustment in the                                                               
term  expiration date  recognizes  the importance  of the  Alaska                                                               
Board of Game  and the complexity of the issues  that come before                                                               
it.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:35:42 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GRUENBERG moved to report  SB 253 out of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.  There being no objection,  SB 253 was reported out of the                                                               
House State Affairs Standing Committee.