05/01/2004 04:14 PM Senate STA

        CSHB 366(FIN)-ANIMAL CLASSICS CHARITABLE GAMING                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  GARY  STEVENS  announced  CSHB   366(FIN)  to  be  up  for                                                               
consideration.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
BEN  MULLIGAN,  staff  to Representative  Bill  Stoltze,  advised                                                               
members that  the bill is a  result of a legal  opinion issued by                                                               
the Department of  Law stating that certain  traditional games of                                                               
chance are no  longer legal. The legislation is  narrow and would                                                               
not expand  charitable gaming in  Alaska. Rather, it  is designed                                                               
to allow traditional  games of chance including  the Alaska State                                                               
Fair Elks  Rat Races and  the Soldotna Progress Days  VFW Chicken                                                               
Shot Contest.  Such games  are traditional  and important  to the                                                               
associated  communities  and  support   a  number  of  non-profit                                                               
organizations.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COWDERY remarked  that these games have  a long tradition                                                               
in Alaska and he supports their continuation.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GARY  STEVENS read lines  12 and 13  from page 2  and noted                                                               
that  games that  weren't in  existence before  November 1,  2002                                                               
would be excluded.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MR. MULLIGAN agreed.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
LARRY MEYERS  stated, via teleconference, that  the Department of                                                               
Revenue had no concerns related to the bill.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DAVID  LAMBERT testified  via  teleconference  from Fairbanks  in                                                               
support of the bill.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR GARY STEVENS asked the pleasure of the committee.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR COWDERY  motioned to report CSHB  366(FIN) from committee                                                               
with individual  recommendations and attached zero  fiscal notes.                                                               
There being no objection, it was so ordered.