Legislature(2023 - 2024)BARNES 124

03/27/2024 01:00 PM House RESOURCES

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
01:03:08 PM Start
01:03:46 PM HJR22
01:14:02 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+= HB 388 COOK INLET RESERVE-BASED LENDING TELECONFERENCED
<Bill Hearing Canceled>
+= HB 359 ONE-TIME PFD PAYMENT TELECONFERENCED
<Bill Hearing Canceled>
+= HJR 22 RESIDENT SUBSISTENCE USE OF FISH/GAME TELECONFERENCED
Heard & Held
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
+= HB 349 RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT LEASES TELECONFERENCED
Scheduled but Not Heard
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
               HOUSE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                             
                         March 27, 2024                                                                                         
                           1:03 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Representative Tom McKay, Chair                                                                                                 
Representative George Rauscher, Vice Chair                                                                                      
Representative Thomas Baker                                                                                                     
Representative Kevin McCabe                                                                                                     
Representative Dan Saddler                                                                                                      
Representative Stanley Wright                                                                                                   
Representative Jennie Armstrong                                                                                                 
Representative Donna Mears                                                                                                      
Representative Maxine Dibert                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
All members present                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 22                                                                                                   
Proposing  an  amendment to  the  Constitution  of the  State  of                                                               
Alaska  relating  to  subsistence use  of  replenishable  natural                                                               
resources  by state  residents;  and providing  for an  effective                                                               
date for the amendment.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     - HEARD & HELD                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 349                                                                                                              
"An Act  relating to leases  of public land for  renewable energy                                                               
projects; and providing for an effective date."                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     - SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 388                                                                                                              
"An Act relating  to state loans for oil and  gas projects in the                                                               
Cook  Inlet  sedimentary basin;  relating  to  the Alaska  Energy                                                               
Authority;  relating to  the  Alaska  Industrial Development  and                                                               
Export Authority; and providing for an effective date."                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     - BILL HEARING CANCELED                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 359                                                                                                              
"An Act  relating to the  permanent fund dividend and  a one-time                                                               
permanent fund  dividend payment and land  voucher; and providing                                                               
for an effective date."                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     - BILL HEARING CANCELED                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
BILL: HJR 22                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: RESIDENT SUBSISTENCE USE OF FISH/GAME                                                                              
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) BAKER                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
02/20/24       (H)       READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS                                                                        
02/20/24       (H)       RES, JUD                                                                                               
03/13/24       (H)       RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124                                                                              
03/13/24       (H)       Heard & Held                                                                                           
03/13/24       (H)       MINUTE(RES)                                                                                            
03/20/24       (H)       RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124                                                                              
03/20/24       (H)       Heard & Held                                                                                           
03/20/24       (H)       MINUTE(RES)                                                                                            
03/27/24       (H)       RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
WITNESS REGISTER                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
No witness to record                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:03:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  TOM MCKAY  called the  House Resources  Standing Committee                                                             
meeting to order at 1:03  p.m.  Representatives Mears, Armstrong,                                                               
Dibert,  McCabe, Wright,  Baker, and  McKay were  present at  the                                                               
call to order.   Representatives Rauscher and  Saddler arrived as                                                               
the meeting was in progress.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
          HJR 22-RESIDENT SUBSISTENCE USE OF FISH/GAME                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:03:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCKAY  announced that the  only order of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE  JOINT RESOLUTION  NO. 22,  Proposing an  amendment to  the                                                               
Constitution of the  State of Alaska relating  to subsistence use                                                               
of  replenishable  natural  resources  by  state  residents;  and                                                               
providing for an effective date for the amendment.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:05:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BAKER,  as prime  sponsor, presented  HJR 22.   He                                                               
said  that  his office  was  planning  to have  public  testimony                                                               
today, but it was delayed due  to administrative duties.  He said                                                               
that  his office  requested the  given  opinion from  Legislative                                                               
Legal Services  based off of  the question  of a rural-  or race-                                                               
based subsistence  use permit.   He said  per the  legal opinion,                                                               
the memo  would likely  violate the  constitution and  its Alaska                                                               
Native  subsistence preference  and it  would violate  the Alaska                                                               
National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA).                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:07:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG asked if  Legislative Legal Services had                                                               
advised that HJR 22 would be unconstitutional.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENATIVE BAKER answered  no, as HJR 22  currently stands, it                                                               
would bring the  constitution in line with ANILCA.   He said that                                                               
it would be in conflict with  both the constitution and ANILCA if                                                               
it  were amended  to include  "a race-based  or an  Alaska Native                                                               
only subsistence priority."                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG asked if  he requested the opinion based                                                               
off of the AFN testimony.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENATIVE BAKER said that he  had requested it not only based                                                               
off of  the AFN testimony, but  off of his own  research into the                                                               
topic of subsistence.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:10:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE asked if someone  who is Native and grew up                                                               
in  a city  would have  preference over  a non-Native  person who                                                               
grew up in a rural area,  despite the necessity of subsistence in                                                               
that scenario.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENATIVE BAKER said that is  correct, that the intent of HJR
22 is  for rural  preference in subsistence.   He  gave empirical                                                               
evidence for  times when there  is no  stock of groceries  in the                                                               
rural communities of Alaska.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENATIVE  BAKER said  that there  will  be one  or two  more                                                               
legal opinions that his office will be able to speak on.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
[HJR 22 was held over.]                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
1:14:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ADJOURNMENT                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
There being no further business before the committee, the House                                                                 
Resources Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 1:14 p.m.                                                                 

Document Name Date/Time Subjects
CSHB 349(RES) 33-LS1325R.pdf HRES 3/27/2024 1:00:00 PM
HB 349
HJR 22 Legal Opine Native Preference.pdf HRES 3/27/2024 1:00:00 PM
HJR 22