Legislature(2023 - 2024)GRUENBERG 120

03/31/2023 01:00 PM House JUDICIARY

Note: the audio and video recordings are distinct records and are obtained from different sources. As such there may be key differences between the two. The audio recordings are captured by our records offices as the official record of the meeting and will have more accurate timestamps. Use the icons to switch between them.

Download Mp3. <- Right click and save file as

Audio Topic
01:00:26 PM Start
01:05:17 PM HB98
01:14:43 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+= HB 68 CRIME OF SEX/HUMAN TRAFFICKING TELECONFERENCED
Scheduled but Not Heard
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
+= HB 98 STATE OWNERSHIP OF SUBMERGED LAND TELECONFERENCED
Moved HB 98 Out of Committee
-- Public Testimony --
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
               HOUSE JUDICIARY STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                             
                         March 31, 2023                                                                                         
                           1:00 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                             DRAFT                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Sarah Vance, Chair                                                                                               
Representative Jamie Allard, Vice Chair                                                                                         
Representative Ben Carpenter                                                                                                    
Representative Craig Johnson                                                                                                    
Representative David Eastman                                                                                                    
Representative Andrew Gray                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Cliff Groh                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 98                                                                                                               
"An Act relating to state  ownership of submerged land underlying                                                               
navigable water within the boundaries  of and adjacent to federal                                                               
areas; and providing for an effective date."                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
     - MOVED HB 98 OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 68                                                                                                               
"An Act  relating to sex  trafficking; establishing the  crime of                                                               
patron of a  victim of sex trafficking; relating to  the crime of                                                               
human   trafficking;  relating   to  prostitution;   relating  to                                                               
sentencing  for  sex  trafficking,  patron of  a  victim  of  sex                                                               
trafficking, and human trafficking;  establishing the process for                                                               
vacating judgments  for certain  convictions of  prostitution and                                                               
misconduct  involving a  controlled  substance;  relating to  the                                                               
Council  on Domestic  Violence and  Sexual  Assault; relating  to                                                               
permanent   fund   dividends   for  certain   individuals   whose                                                               
convictions are vacated; and providing for an effective date."                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     - SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
BILL: HB  98                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: STATE OWNERSHIP OF SUBMERGED LAND                                                                                  
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) SADDLER                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
03/06/23       (H)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        
03/06/23       (H)       JUD, RES                                                                                               
03/29/23       (H)       JUD AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120                                                                           
03/29/23       (H)       Heard & Held                                                                                           
03/29/23       (H)       MINUTE(JUD)                                                                                            
03/31/23       (H)       JUD AT 1:00 PM GRUENBERG 120                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DAN SADDLER                                                                                                      
Alaska State Legislature                                                                                                        
Juneau, Alaska                                                                                                                  
POSITION STATEMENT:   Offered  brief introductory  remarks during                                                             
the hearing on HB 98, as the prime sponsor.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:00:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR SARAH  VANCE called the House  Judiciary Standing Committee                                                             
meeting to order  at 1:00 p.m.   Representatives Carpenter, Gray,                                                               
and Vance  were present  at the call  to order.   Representatives                                                               
Eastman and C. Johnson arrived as the meeting was in progress.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 1:00 p.m. to 1:05 p.m.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
            HB  98-STATE OWNERSHIP OF SUBMERGED LAND                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:05:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR VANCE announced  that the first order of  business would be                                                               
HOUSE  BILL  NO. 98,  "An  Act  relating  to state  ownership  of                                                               
submerged land  underlying navigable water within  the boundaries                                                               
of and adjacent to federal  areas; and providing for an effective                                                               
date."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
1:05:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  VANCE   opened  public   testimony  on   HB  98.     After                                                               
ascertaining the  no one online  or in person wished  to testify,                                                               
she introduced the bill sponsor.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:06:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DAN  SADDLER,  Alaska  State  Legislature,  prime                                                               
sponsor of HB 98, offered brief introductory remarks.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR VANCE invited questions from members of the committee.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:07:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE EASTMAN  inquired about  efforts to  bring western                                                               
states on board with the proposal.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  said there  had been  no effort  to reach                                                               
out  to  western  states; nonetheless,  he  acknowledged  several                                                               
legislative  forums   and  legal  organizations  that   would  be                                                               
watching the outcome.  He  anticipated that other states would be                                                               
encouraged by the outcome as well.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  EASTMAN shared  his understanding  that the  bill                                                               
was being put forward  as one step "in a larger  chess game."  He                                                               
asked what the next steps would be, should the bill pass.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER indicated  that the  next steps  would be                                                               
continued litigation on  cases in which Alaska was  in the right.                                                               
Additionally, the  continued exploration  on the outer  limits of                                                               
navigability,  which  would be  reflected  in  the annual  report                                                               
provided to the legislature as part of the proposed legislation.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:10:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR VANCE invited final comment from the bill sponsor.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  said he had  nothing further to add.   He                                                               
expressed his  appreciation for the  thorough vetting  and prompt                                                               
action on the bill.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:11:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took a brief at-ease.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:13:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR VANC closed public testimony on HB 98.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:13:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  ALLARD moved  to report  HB 98  out of  committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.   There being no  objection, HB  98 was reported  from the                                                               
House Judiciary Standing Committee.  She granted Legislative                                                                    
Legal Services the authority to make necessary technical and                                                                    
conforming changes.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:14:43 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
There being no further business before the committee, the House                                                                 
Judiciary Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 1:14 p.m.                                                                 

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
HB 98 - DNR DMLW Fiscal Note.pdf HJUD 3/31/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 98
HB 98 - DNR Follow-Up Answers to HJUD (03-31-23).pdf HJUD 3/31/2023 1:00:00 PM
HB 98