02/23/2005 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB25 | |
| HJR6 | |
| Adjourn |
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SB 25 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HJR 6 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE
February 23, 2005
3:32 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Thomas Wagoner, Chair
Senator Fred Dyson
Senator Bert Stedman
Senator Kim Elton
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Ralph Seekins, Vice Chair
Senator Ben Stevens
Senator Gretchen Guess
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 25
"An Act relating to labeling and identification of genetically
modified fish and fish products."
MOVED SB 25 OUT OF COMMITTEE
CS FOR HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 6(FSH)
Relating to the labeling of fish and shellfish to identify the
country of origin and to distinguish between wild and farmed
fish and shellfish.
MOVED CSHJR 6(FSH) OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 25
SHORT TITLE: GENETICALLY MODIFIED FISH
SPONSOR(s): SENATOR(s) ELTON, STEVENS G
01/11/05 (S) PREFILE RELEASED 12/30/04
01/11/05 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/11/05 (S) L&C, RES
02/01/05 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 211
02/01/05 (S) -- Meeting Rescheduled to 02/08/05 --
02/08/05 (S) L&C AT 1:30 PM BELTZ 211
02/08/05 (S) Moved SB 25 Out of Committee
02/08/05 (S) MINUTE(L&C)
02/09/05 (S) L&C RPT 4DP 1NR
02/09/05 (S) NR: BUNDE
02/09/05 (S) DP: ELLIS, DAVIS, SEEKINS, STEVENS B
02/23/05 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
BILL: HJR 6
SHORT TITLE: LABELING OF FISH /SHELLFISH PRODUCTS
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) KERTTULA
01/19/05 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
01/19/05 (H) FSH, RES
01/26/05 (H) FSH AT 8:30 AM CAPITOL 124
01/26/05 (H) -- Meeting Canceled --
01/26/05 (H) RES AT 3:00 PM CAPITOL 124
01/26/05 (H) Scheduled But Not Heard
01/31/05 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 124
01/31/05 (H) -- Meeting Canceled --
02/02/05 (H) FSH RPT CS(FSH) NT 6DP
02/02/05 (H) DP: HARRIS, ELKINS, SALMON, WILSON,
THOMAS, LEDOUX
02/02/05 (H) FSH AT 8:30 AM CAPITOL 124
02/02/05 (H) Moved CSHJR 6(FSH) Out of Committee
02/02/05 (H) MINUTE(FSH)
02/09/05 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM CAPITOL 124
02/09/05 (H) Moved CSHJR 6(FSH) Out of Committee
02/09/05 (H) MINUTE(RES)
02/11/05 (H) RES RPT CS(FSH) NT 7DP
02/11/05 (H) DP: OLSON, GATTO, SEATON, LEDOUX,
ELKINS, SAMUELS, RAMRAS
02/14/05 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)
02/14/05 (H) VERSION: CSHJR 6(FSH)
02/16/05 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/16/05 (S) RES
02/23/05 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
WITNESS REGISTER
Dennis Kelso
University of California Santa Cruz
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 26.
Representative Kerttula
Alaska State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor or HJR 6.
Tabatha Williams, Intern
Representative Kerttula
Alaska State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on HJR 6 for sponsor.
ACTION NARRATIVE
CHAIR THOMAS WAGONER called the Senate Resources Standing
Committee meeting to order at 3:32:25 PM. Senators Elton,
Stedman, Dyson and Chair Wagoner were present.
SB 25-GENETICALLY MODIFIED FISH
CHAIR WAGONER announced SB 25 to be up for consideration.
SENATOR ELTON said Senator Gary Stevens is co-sponsor of SB 25.
It requires that genetically modified finfish or shellfish sold
in Alaska be identified on the label if it is sold at the retail
level. Right now only an aquarium fish has been approved for
sale at the retail level, but the FDA has an application pending
from a US/Canadian firm that wants to produce GM Atlantic salmon
for human consumption and to sell the eggs from them to other
fish farmers around the world. He said that other jurisdictions
around the world will be making decisions on whether or not to
allow GM fish and it won't be economic to deny it. Alaskans will
be able to make informed purchase decisions at the retail level
and the required labeling will allow marketers of Alaskan
seafood products to draw an even brighter line between wild and
natural Alaska fish and industrially produced fish for human
consumption.
3:36:30 PM
DENNIS KELSO, University of California Santa Cruz, supported SB
25 and said his research focuses on the effects of global
production of GM fish on Alaska's wild salmon. Genetically
modified fish will be the most active area for development of
the GM technology. He thought that this is a consumer choice
bill that equips Alaskan consumers with the knowledge of what
kind of seafood and production practice they can chose to
support.
3:38:54 PM
SENATOR STEDMAN said SB 25 has the unanimous support of the
Salmon Industry Task Force.
3:39:57 PM
SENATOR DYSON moved to pass SB 25 from committee with attached
fiscal note and individual recommendations. There were no
objections and it was so ordered.
3:40:15 PM Recess 3:41:25 PM
CSHJR 6(FSH)-LABELING OF FISH /SHELLFISH PRODUCTS
CHAIR WAGONER announced CSHJR 6(FSH) to be up for consideration.
REPRESENTATIVE KERTTULA, sponsor, said there are currently
labeling requirements for country of origin and wild and farmed
salmon. Unfortunately, the USDA is thinking of removing
processed fish from those requirements. That includes canned,
smoked and pouched products. She thinks this is wrong and that
people should still be able to benefit from labeling.
3:42:55 PM
TABATHA WILIAMS, intern working for Representative Kerttula,
said she is from a fishing family and said that the fishing
industry provides many jobs for Alaskans and that even the
tourist industry depends on the Alaska seafood industry's
reputation to attract its clientele. Farmed fish has been linked
to cancer-causing toxins and high mercury levels. We don't want
our wild and healthy salmon to be associated with the
notoriously bad press farmed fish has earned over the recent
years.
3:44:38 PM
SENATOR ELTON moved to pass CSHJR 6(FSH), version F, from
committee with attached fiscal notes and individual
recommendations. There were no objections and it was so ordered.
There was nothing else to come before the committee and Chair
Wagoner adjourned the meeting at 3:45:05 PM.
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