HB 267-RELEASE HUNTING/FISHING RECORDS TO MUNI  8:37:34 AM CO-CHAIR PARISH announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 267, "An Act requiring the release of certain records relating to big game hunters, guided hunts, and guided sport fishing activities to municipalities for verification of taxes payable; and providing for an effective date." CO-CHAIR PARISH noted that public testimony had been heard previously [and closed on 1/25/18]. 8:38:08 AM REPRESENTATIVE LINCOLN moved to adopt the proposed committee substitute (CS) for HB 267, Version 30-LS0808\J, Bullard, 1/25/18, ("Version J"), as the working document. 8:38:17 AM CO-CHAIR PARISH objected for the purpose of discussion. 8:38:29 AM TIM CLARK, Staff, Representative Bryce Edgmon, Alaska State Legislature, presented the CS for HB 267, Version J, on behalf of Representative Edgmon, prime sponsor. He said Version J would allow municipalities that levy a tax on hunting and fishing activities access to records and reports submitted by guiding outfits to the state. The access would be granted to verify taxes payable and, for all such reports that they would access, confidentiality would be maintained. He said Version J includes a change as a result of [Amendment 1, adopted on 1/25/18], which clarifies confidentiality in Section 1 of HB 267. 8:40:01 AM MR. CLARK, in response to Representative Saddler, clarified that the language in Section 1 of Version J replaced the language in Section 1 of the original bill version. He said the language "makes more explicit the requirement on the part of the municipality to maintain the confidentiality of the records." In response to a follow-up question, he said the consequences for violating that confidentiality would not be changed and are quite serious in criminal law. 8:41:19 AM MR. CLARK, in response to Representative Lincoln, referred to a handout in the committee packet, which shows statutes under Title 11 that address legal consequences for breaching confidentiality. They are: AS 11.56.850 and AS 11.56.860. Breaches for both are classified as Class A Misdemeanors. In response to a follow-up question, he explained that much of the information provide by guides to the state is considered proprietary because many of them have hunting areas or "fishing holes" that may be "hot spots" they do not want to advertise to their competitors. These are areas where guides know they can take their clients and those clients will be successful. 8:43:58 AM The committee took an at-ease from 8:43 a.m. to 8:44 a.m. 8:44:20 AM CO-CHAIR PARISH removed his objection to the motion to adopt CS for HB 267, Version J. 8:44:38 AM REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER objected to offer his understanding that a committee member who was not present had an amendment to offer and would offer it at the next committee of referral. CO-CHAIR PARISH said that is correct. 8:45:04 AM MR. CLARK said the bill drafter in Legislative Legal and Research Services suggested that "we put a statement on the record ... in the hopes of avoiding any future legal uncertainties because of ... Section 1 ... having been repealed and reenacted." 8:45:34 AM CO-CHAIR PARISH stated as follows: To ensure that there are no future legal uncertainties regarding repeal and reenactment of AS 08.54.760(b), I would like to put on the record that federal law enforcement and other law enforcement authorities will continue to have access to hunting records submitted to the state prior to the enactment of this legislation should that come to pass. CO-CHAIR PARISH noted that Alpheus Bullard of Legislative Legal and Research Services was available on line to answer any questions regarding the statement. 8:46:30 AM REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER removed his objection to the motion to adopt the proposed CS for HB 267, Version 30-LS0808\J, Bullard, 1/25/18, as the working document. [There being no further objection, Version J was before the committee as a working document.] 8:46:46 AM REPRESENTATIVE KREISS-TOMKINS opined that [HB 267, Version J] is a great bill that would garner interest from communities with hunting and fishing activity. 8:47:12 AM REPRESENTATIVE TALERICO said he had contact with someone who was "somewhat uncomfortable with this." He said he has experience with municipal government and there is "no nefarious intent by municipal government to keep accurate records." He said most municipalities in Alaska follow the general accounting standards of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) laws, which require accurate record keeping. He opined that it would be inaccurate to say that municipalities are "loose" with confidential records; his experience has shown those records are "very well guarded." He said he would tell people who have a concern about this issue that this is not a concern he shares. 8:48:58 AM REPRESENTATIVE LINCOLN moved to report CSHB 267, Version 30- LS0808\J, Bullard, 1/25/18, out of committee with individual recommendations and forthcoming updated fiscal note. 8:49:15 AM REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER questioned "forthcoming updated." 8:49:16 AM MR. CLARK explained that it is the bill sponsor's understanding that with the clarification of strict confidentiality under Version J, the fiscal note from the Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development would be "considerably reduced." He explained that the department had thought that vast amounts of information would have to be manually redacted, which would cost the department time and resources; Version J would not require that kind of activity and, thus, would bring down the cost significantly. 8:50:11 AM REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER said he gets nervous when he hears the committee is going to approve "a pig in a poke," but he said he takes comfort knowing there is another committee of referral. He said he would check to make sure the fiscal note is properly modified. 8:50:27 AM CO-CHAIR PARISH announced that there being no objection, CSHB 267(CRA) was reported out of the House Community and Regional Affairs Committee.