ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE  SENATE COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS STANDING COMMITTEE  March 11, 2010 3:32 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Donald Olson, Chair Senator Joe Thomas, Vice Chair Senator Albert Kookesh Senator Linda Menard MEMBERS ABSENT  Senator Hollis French COMMITTEE CALENDAR  SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 29 Requesting the Alaska Congressional delegation to introduce and seek passage of an amendment to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to create four new voting seats on the North Pacific Fishery Management Council to be filled by appointment of members of federally recognized tribes or Alaska Native organizations who are not employed by a community development quota program or the pollock industry. - MOVED CSSJR 29(CRA) OUT OF COMMITTEE PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION  BILL: SJR 29 SHORT TITLE: TRIBAL SEATS ON N. PAC. FISHERIES COUNCIL SPONSOR(s): COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS 02/26/10 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS 02/26/10 (S) CRA, RES 03/09/10 (S) CRA AT 3:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg) 03/09/10 (S) Heard & Held 03/09/10 (S) MINUTE(CRA) WITNESS REGISTER TIM BENITENDI Aide to Senator Olson Alaska State Legislature Juneau, AK POSITION STATEMENT: Presented the committee substitute for SJR 29. ACTION NARRATIVE  3:32:28 PM CHAIR DONALD OLSON called the Senate Community and Regional Affairs Standing Committee meeting to order at 3:32 p.m. Present at the call to order were Senators Thomas, Menard, Kookesh and Olson. SJR 29-TRIBAL SEATS ON N. PAC. FISHERIES COUNCIL  3:32:44 PM CHAIR OLSON said the first order of business to come before the committee was SJR 29. TIM BENITENDI, aide to Senator Olson, explained the changes made in the committee substitute, CSSJR 29(CRA), Version R. Page 1, line 6 and page 2, lines 24-25 now read "other industrial and commercial fishing interests" instead of referencing just the pollock industry. On page 2, line 23 clarifies that the governor makes recommendations for appointees to the Secretary of Commerce. Also on page 2, line 23, federally recognized tribes "in Alaska" is now specified as opposed to any other federally recognized tribes. SENATOR THOMAS referred to the wording, "recommended by the governor", on page 2, line 23, and asked who would actually confirm the appointed council members. MR. BENITENDI replied the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. SENATOR THOMAS asked if stating that U.S. Secretary of Commerce makes the appointments is necessary. MR. BENITENDI replied that it is elsewhere in statute and in the Magnuson-Stevens Act. 3:36:03 PM SENATOR THOMAS moved to adopt the proposed committee substitute to SJR 29, labeled 26-LS1568\R as the working document. There being no objection, version R was before the committee. 3:36:18 PM SENATOR THOMAS moved to report CSSB 29(CRA), referred to as Version R, from committee with individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, the motion carried. 3:36:43 PM MR. BENITENDI mentioned that he has given the committee an information sheet on the makeup of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC). He noted the NPFMC has an advisory panel of 20-23 people at any time, of which the Alaska governor appoints just over half. 3:38:25 PM CHAIR OLSON, seeing no further business before the committee, adjourned the meeting at 3:38 p.m.