Legislature(1995 - 1996)
03/26/1996 01:33 PM Senate L&C
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* first hearing in first committee of referral
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SENATE LABOR AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE
March 26, 1996
1:33 P.M.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Tim Kelly, Chairman
Senator John Torgerson, Vice Chairman
Senator Mike Miller
Senator Jim Duncan
Senator Judy Salo
MEMBERS ABSENT
All members present
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 62
Requesting the federal government to purchase surplus 1995 Alaska
canned pink salmon.
HOUSE BILL NO. 502
"An Act relating to the auctioning of real estate."
PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION
HJR 62 - No previous action to consider.
HB 502 - See Labor & Commerce minutes dated 3/26/96.
Rules minutes dated 3/27/96.
WITNESS REGISTER
Cheryl Sutton, Staff
Representative Bill Williams
State Capitol Bldg
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Staff to sponsor of HJR 62.
Sherman Ernouf, Staff
Senator Tim Kelly
State Capitol Bldg.
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on HB 502.
Representative John Davies
State Capitol Bldg.
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of HB 502.
ACTION NARRATIVE
TAPE 96-22, SIDE A
Number 001
HJR 62 FED PURCHASE SURPLUS '95 CANNED SALMON
CHAIRMAN KELLY called the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee
meeting to order at 1:33 p.m. and announced HJR 62 to be up for
consideration.
CHERYL SUTTON, Staff to Representative Bill Williams, sponsor of
HJR 62, said that the Alaska canned pink salmon industry is facing
a serious crisis of marketing surplus salmon caused by record
harvest in 1995.
She explained that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has
traditionally required that canned salmon be processed under NMFS
type continuous inspection even though neither the commercial
market place nor the Food and Drug Administration makes that
requirement. The canned salmon industry does not normally contract
NMFS inspectors to oversee the processing operation unless there is
an indication there will be a U.S.D.A. purchase program.
In 1995 USDA sent a letter to the salmon industry indicating that
based on the harvest level forecast at the time a harvest was not
warranted. Consequently, the bulk of the industry did not assume
the additional expense of NMFS' inspection. When the size of the
run became apparent, it was too late to bring inspectors to the
plants.
The industry is prepared to have the NMFS Inspection Services
Division conduct lot inspections of product processed in 1995 to
certify that the product meets the technical requirements of the
commercial item description for canned salmon. NMFS deems these
assurances should be adequate for USDA purchases for its various
programs.
HJR 62 requests the federal government to purchase the '95 Alaska
canned salmon surpluses for the domestic and export programs.
These programs include school lunch programs, export programs,
assistance to low income persons, and the federal prison system.
The resolution also asks the Department of Agriculture to waive the
NMFS type line inspection requirement.
The canned salmon industry operates under federal and State of
Alaska regulations as well as the guidelines of the Canned Salmon
Control Plan and Container Integrity Program which were developed
in conjunction with National Food Processors Association and the
FDA. Alaska canned salmon is traded internationally under the
assurances of these programs.
At present at least six major Alaska processors have notified
fishermen they will not be buying pink salmon for the '96 season
because of the surpluses. This situation poses economic disaster
for our fishermen and processors.
SENATOR TORGERSON moved to pass SJR 62 from committee with
individual recommendations. There were no objections and it was so
ordered.
HB 502 CONDUCTING AUCTIONS OF REAL PROPERTY
SENATOR KELLY announced HB 502 to be up for consideration. He
asked his aide, Sherman Ernouf, what the vote on the House side
was. He answered it was 35 - 3.
REPRESENTATIVE DAVIES, sponsor of HB 502, explained that
auctioneers are not allowed under law to auction real estate unless
they have a real estate sales license. HB 502 allows auctioneers to
auction real estate if he has had a course in real estate sales and
there must also be a broker present at the auction of real estate.
MR. ERNOUF said there wasn't any opposition.
SENATOR TORGERSON moved to pass HB 502 from committee with
individual recommendations. There were no objections and it was so
ordered.
SENATOR KELLY adjourned the meeting at 1:39 p.m.
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