Legislature(2025 - 2026)BUTROVICH 205

05/06/2025 01:30 PM Senate TRANSPORTATION

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Audio Topic
02:39:48 PM Start
02:40:28 PM HB31
02:46:18 PM Adjourn
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+= HB 31 VESSELS: REGISTRATION/DERELICT FUND TELECONFERENCED
Moved HB 31 Out of Committee
-- Public Testimony --
**Streamed live on AKL.tv**
                    ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE                                                                                  
            SENATE TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE                                                                          
                          May 6, 2025                                                                                           
                           2:39 p.m.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
                             DRAFT                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Jesse Bjorkman, Chair                                                                                                   
Senator Löki Tobin, Vice Chair                                                                                                  
Senator Jesse Kiehl                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Bert Stedman                                                                                                            
Senator Mike Shower                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
HOUSE BILL NO. 31                                                                                                               
"An Act relating to the registration of commercial vessels; and                                                                 
relating to the derelict vessel prevention program fund."                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     - MOVED HB 31 OUT OF COMMITTEE                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
BILL: HB  31                                                                                                                  
SHORT TITLE: VESSELS: REGISTRATION/DERELICT FUND                                                                                
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) STUTES                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
01/22/25       (H)       PREFILE RELEASED 1/10/25                                                                               

01/22/25 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

01/22/25 (H) FSH, FIN 02/06/25 (H) FSH AT 11:00 AM GRUENBERG 120 02/06/25 (H) Heard & Held 02/06/25 (H) MINUTE(FSH) 02/11/25 (H) FSH AT 10:00 AM GRUENBERG 120 02/11/25 (H) Moved HB 31 Out of Committee 02/11/25 (H) MINUTE(FSH) 02/12/25 (H) FSH RPT 7DP 02/12/25 (H) DP: VANCE, KOPP, EDGMON, HIMSCHOOT, ELAM, MCCABE, STUTES 03/11/25 (H) FIN AT 1:30 PM ADAMS 519 03/11/25 (H) Scheduled but Not Heard 03/12/25 (H) FIN AT 1:30 PM ADAMS 519 03/12/25 (H) Moved HB 31 Out of Committee 03/12/25 (H) MINUTE(FIN) 03/14/25 (H) FIN RPT 8DP 3NR 03/14/25 (H) DP: BYNUM, HANNAN, TOMASZEWSKI, GALVIN, JIMMIE, FOSTER, JOSEPHSON, SCHRAGE 03/14/25 (H) NR: JOHNSON, ALLARD, STAPP 04/11/25 (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S) 04/11/25 (H) VERSION: HB 31 04/14/25 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 04/14/25 (S) TRA, FIN 04/24/25 (S) TRA AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 04/24/25 (S) Heard & Held 04/24/25 (S) MINUTE(TRA) 05/06/25 (S) TRA AT 1:30 PM BUTROVICH 205 WITNESS REGISTER REPRESENTATIVE LOUISE STUTES, District 5 Alaska State Legislature Juneau, Alaska POSITION STATEMENT: Sponsor of HB 31. ACTION NARRATIVE 2:39:48 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN called the Senate Transportation Standing Committee meeting to order at 2:39 p.m. Present at the call to order were Senators Kiehl, Tobin, and Chair Bjorkman. HB 31-VESSELS: REGISTRATION/DERELICT FUND 2:40:28 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN announced the consideration of HOUSE BILL NO. 31 "An Act relating to the registration of commercial vessels; and relating to the derelict vessel prevention program fund." 2:41:05 PM REPRESENTATIVE LOUISE STUTES, District 5, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, provided a brief overview of HB 31. She noted that this legislation passed both bodies of the legislature in 2024 but was subsequently vetoed due to the constitutional concerns that it would have passed after midnight the final night of the session. REPRESENTATIVE STUTES said HB 31 would remove duplicative registration requirements created by the passage of the derelict vessel bill of 2018. HB 31 would remove the requirement for U.S. Coast Guard documented vessels with current commercial fishery entry commission licenses to register every three years with the Division of Motor Vehicles. She explained that, prior to the passage of Senate Bill 92 in 2018, documented vessels were exempt from DMV registration, however that exemption was repealed in Senate Bill 92 and as a result, larger vessels fell under the DMV's purview. The rationale behind Senate Bill 92 was to provide the state and local municipalities with a state database of who owns and operates vessels in Alaska waters as well as how to contact those individuals. She noted that the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) database had been overlooked. She explained that vessel licensure with the CFEC requires all the necessary annual renewal information in a publicly accessible, state-maintained database. HB 31 also repeals the derelict vessel prevention program fund created in Senate Bill 92 and transfers the balance of the fund to the general fund. 2:43:19 PM REPRESENTATIVE STUTES concluded the overview emphasizing that HB 31 is a fiscally responsible piece of legislation as it transfers $1.67 million from the derelict vessel fund to the general coffers. She thanked the Senate Transportation Standing Committee for hearing HB 31. 2:44:43 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN opened public testimony on HB 31; finding none, he closed public testimony. 2:45:17 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN solicited the will of the committee. 2:45:19 PM SENATOR TOBIN moved to report HB 31, work order 34-LS0326\A, from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes. 2:45:38 PM CHAIR BJORKMAN found no objection and HB 31 was reported from the Senate Transportation Standing Committee. 2:46:18 PM There being no further business to come before the committee, Chair Bjorkman adjourned the Senate Transportation Standing Committee meeting at 2:46 p.m.

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