SENATE RESOURCES COMMITTEE May 12, 1998 10:40 A.M. MEMBERS PRESENT Senator Rick Halford, Chairman Senator Lyda Green, Vice Chairman Senator Loren Leman Senator Robin Taylor Senator John Torgerson Senator Georgianna Lincoln MEMBERS ABSENT Senator Bert Sharp COMMITTEE CALENDAR HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 68 am Relating to continued operation of the McKinley Park airstrip for general aviation and access to Denali National Park and Preserve. - PASSED HJR68 am FROM COMMITTEE SENATE CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 73(RES) "An Act extending the termination dates of the salmon marketing programs of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute and the salmon marketing assessment; and providing for an effective date." - PASSED SCS HB73(RES) FROM COMMITTEE CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 204(RES) "An Act revising the procedures and authority of the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission, the Board of Fisheries, and the Department of Fish and Game to establish a moratorium on participants or vessels, or both, participating in certain fisheries; and providing for an effective date." - PASSED SCS HB 204(RES) FROM COMMITTEE PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION HJR 68 - No previous action to consider. HB 73 - See Labor and Commerce minutes dated 2/24/98 and 3/3/98 and Resources Committee minutes dated 4/29/98. HB 204 - See Resources Committee minutes dated 4/22/98 and 4/28/98. ACTION NARRATIVE TAPE 98-41, SIDE A Number 001 HJR 68 - CONT OPERATION OF MCKINLEY PARK AIRSTRIP CHAIRMAN HALFORD called the Senate Resources Committee meeting to order at 10:40 p.m. and announced HJR 68 to be up for consideration. SENATOR TORGERSON moved to pass HJR 68 from Committee with individual recommendations. There were no objections and it was so ordered. HB 73 - SALMON MARKETING ASSESSMENT & ASMI CHAIRMAN HALFORD said he earlier expressed concern for Western Alaskan fishermen who felt that they were paying and not receiving a lot. He hoped that was corrected in the term of the sunset. The committee substitute continues the Western Alaska tax to 2000 and the remainder of the tax to 2003 which gives them a couple of years to get support from the areas that feel like they are paying for it and not receiving that much benefit. SENATOR TORGERSON moved to adopt the CS to HB 73. SENATOR LINCOLN objected for purposes of discussion. She proposed an amendment on line 9 to delete, "proportionate..." through line 11. If this were proportionate to the contributions, then this is suggesting that Western Alaska would not be receiving any support from ASMI because of the low amount they would collect in taxes. CHAIRMAN HALFORD said he didn't mind if the intent was made more general, but he didn't want the whole statement taken out, because it was aimed at Bristol Bay more than western Alaska. If they wanted to put a modifier in front of proportionate, the concern is to get closer to being more proportionate. He thought they should maybe delete "Western Alaska" because they probably get more in effort than return in taxes at this point. SENATOR LINCOLN said she would agree to delete, "and Western Alaska" and removed amendment #1. CHAIRMAN HALFORD said he thought they should put "more" in front of the word "proportionate." It is not his intent to tie in some internal arguments. SENATOR LINCOLN said she didn't have any objection to that and moved to insert on line 9, "more" between benefit and proportion and delete on line 10 after bay through "Alaska." There were no objections and it was so ordered. SENATOR TORGERSON moved to pass SCSHB 73(RES) from Committee with individual recommendations. There were no objections and it was so ordered. HB 204 - MORATORIA ON COMMERCIAL FISHERIES ENTRY CHAIRMAN HALFORD announced HB 204 to be up for consideration. The CS provides that the fisheries under the new moratorium can't be used as a first step toward transferable permits. So it gives general moratorium authority. SENATOR LEMAN moved to adopt the CS to HB 204. There were no objections and it was adopted. SENATOR LEMAN said they are trying to create a value that ultimately results in the loss of permits from Alaskans and creates some of the challenges they have now. He asked if there was any way to protect that. CHAIRMAN HALFORD said he thought the Commission could establish procedures that provide for the transfer through the Commission. SENATOR LEMAN said that would be his intent to give direction to the Commission. SENATOR LINCOLN said that was her concern, also. SENATOR LEMAN moved to pass SCSHB 204(RES)from Committee with individual recommendations. There were no objections and it was so ordered. CHAIRMAN HALFORD adjourned the meeting at 10:54 p.m.