HB 354-DIVE FISHERY ASSESSMENTS                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
8:23:53 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR TARR announced that the  next order of business would be                                                               
HOUSE BILL  NO. 354, An  Act relating to dive  fishery management                                                               
assessment procedures.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
8:24:03 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DAN  ORTIZ, Alaska State Legislature,  speaking as                                                               
the sponsor stated  that HB 354 would allow  the Southeast Alaska                                                               
Regional Dive Fisheries Association  (SARDFA) to rearrange how it                                                               
does  its process  of changing  its self-assessment  taxes.   The                                                               
population of  people fishing these  permits has  been dwindling,                                                               
he  said, and  so  the  participation in  the  voting process  is                                                               
dwindling as well.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:25:17 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PARISH  stated  he  respects any  members  of  an                                                               
industry who  assess upon  themselves a tax  and therefore  he is                                                               
happy to support a measure to make it more efficient.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  TALERICO  thanked  Representative Ortiz  for  his                                                               
explanation of the bill at the  previous hearing.  He said he has                                                               
no objection to the bill.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:25:58 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LINCOLN  moved to report  HB 354 out  of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.  There being no objection,  HB 354 was reported out of the                                                               
House Resources Standing Committee.