Legislature(2025 - 2026)
2026-01-28 House Journal
Full Journal pdf2026-01-28 House Journal Page 1511 HB 93 The following was read the second time: HOUSE BILL NO. 93 "An Act changing the residency requirements for hunting, trapping, and sport fishing privileges; and providing for an effective date." with the: Journal Page FSH RPT 4DP 1NR 237 FN1: ZERO(DFG) 237 RES RPT 5DP 1DNP 2NR 1AM 560 FN1: ZERO(DFG) 560 The Rules Committee submitted the following updated fiscal note(s): 2. Zero, Dept. of Fish & Game Amendment No. 1 was offered by Representative Schwanke: Page 2, line 1: Delete "at all times" Insert "for at least 180 days" Page 2, line 3: Delete "in AS 43.23.008" Insert "under (j) of this section" Page 2, line 14: Delete "at all times" Insert "for at least 180 days" 2026-01-28 House Journal Page 1512 Page 2, line 16: Delete "in AS 43.23.008" Insert "under (j) of this section" Page 2, lines 21 - 27: Delete all material and insert: "(j) A person on active duty in the armed forces of the United States, the United States Coast Guard, the Alaska National Guard, the Alaska Naval Militia, or the Alaska State Defense Force is not subject to the requirement in (a)(3) or (e)(3) of this section that the person be physically present in the state for at least 180 days during the 12 consecutive months immediately preceding the application for a license." Representative Schwanke moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 1 be adopted. Representative Himschoot objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 1 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: HB 93 Second Reading Amendment No. 1 YEAS: 9 NAYS: 30 EXCUSED: 1 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Coulombe, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, Prax, Schwanke, St. Clair, Stapp, Tomaszewski Nays: Allard, Bynum, Carrick, Costello, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Elam, Fields, Foster, Frier, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, D.Nelson, G.Nelson, Ruffridge, Saddler, Schrage, Story, Stutes, Underwood, Vance Excused: Jimmie And so, Amendment No. 1 was not adopted. Amendment No. 2 was offered by Representative McCabe: 2026-01-28 House Journal Page 1513 Page 2, line 2: Delete "only" Insert "(A) because the person was serving as a pilot for a United States airline certified as an air carrier by the Federal Aviation Administration; or (B)" Page 2, line 15: Delete "only" Insert "(A) because the person was serving as a pilot for a United States airline certified as an air carrier by the Federal Aviation Administration; or (B)" Representative McCabe moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 2 be adopted. Representative Himschoot objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 2 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: HB 93 Second Reading Amendment No. 2 YEAS: 18 NAYS: 21 EXCUSED: 1 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, Johnson, McCabe, Moore, D.Nelson, G.Nelson, Prax, Ruffridge, Schwanke, St. Clair, Stapp, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Frier, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Saddler, Schrage, Story, Stutes Excused: Jimmie And so, Amendment No. 2 was not adopted. Amendment No. 3 was offered by Representative McCabe: Page 1, line 1, following "Act"(title amendment): Insert "relating to the duties of the commissioner of fish and 2026-01-28 House Journal Page 1514 game; establishing the sport fishing angler access account; establishing the sport fishing angler access surcharge; " Page 1, following line 3: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Section 1. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: LEGISLATIVE INTENT. It is the intent of the legislature that the commissioner model the biennial report required under AS 16.05.050(c), added by sec. 2 of this Act, on the Department of Fish and Game's Professional Publication No. 08-01, titled "Economic Impacts and Contributions of Sportfishing in Alaska, 2007. * Sec. 2. AS 16.05.050 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (c) The commissioner shall produce and disseminate to the public a biennial report on the economic impacts of sport fishing in the state. * Sec. 3. AS 16.05.130 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (i) Money accruing to the state from the sport fishing angler access surcharge imposed by AS 16.05.340(l) shall be deposited in a separate account known as the sport fishing angler access account within the fish and game fund. The department shall allocate money in the angler access account to production and dissemination of the biennial report on the economic impacts of sport fishing in the state required under AS 16.05.050(c) and programs intended to directly benefit license purchasers through the development and improvement of access to and services and facilities for lakes, ponds, or waterways not related to motor or power boat use. In allocating money from the account, the department shall apportion $1 from the surcharge imposed on each license by AS 16.05.340(l) to the production and dissemination of the biennial report required under AS 16.05.050(c). * Sec. 4. AS 16.05.340(i) is amended to read: (i) If the commissioner determines that residents of the state are entitled to obtain licenses for sport fishing, including sport fishing for anadromous king salmon, in Yukon, Canada, for the same fees that are charged to residents of Yukon for comparable sport fishing licenses, the commissioner may adopt regulations authorizing residents of Yukon to receive 2026-01-28 House Journal Page 1515 (1) nonresident annual sport fishing licenses for the fees charged to residents under (a) and (l) of this section for a resident sport fishing license; and (2) nonresident anadromous king salmon annual tags for the fee charged to residents under (a) of this section for a resident anadromous king salmon tag. * Sec. 5. AS 16.05.340 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: (l) In addition to the fees for a sport fishing license set out in (a) and (d) of this section, each person who purchases a sport fishing license shall pay a sport fishing angler access surcharge as set out in this subsection. The purpose of the surcharge is to provide funding for angler access of sport fisheries not related to motor or power boat use. A person who is eligible for a $5 resident hunting, trapping, and sport fishing license under (a)(6) of this section or a free license under AS 16.05.341 is exempt from payment of the surcharge imposed under this subsection. The surcharge authorized by this subsection shall take effect on the date established by regulation by the commissioner. The amount of the surcharge attached to each sport fishing license must be clearly disclosed on the sport fishing license. The amount of the sport fishing angler access surcharge to be paid under this subsection for each sport fishing license is as follows: (1) resident sport fishing license $5 (2) resident hunting and sport fishing license 5 (3) resident hunting, trapping, and sport fishing license 5 (4) nonresident 14-day sport fishing license 26 (5) nonresident seven-day sport fishing license 21 (6) nonresident three-day sport fishing license 11 (7) nonresident one-day sport fishing license 6 (8) nonresident annual sport fishing license 41 (9) special nonresident military small game and sport fishing license 5 (10) special nonresident military sport fishing license 5" Page 1, line 4: Delete "Section 1" Insert "Sec. 6" 2026-01-28 House Journal Page 1516 Renumber the following bill sections accordingly. Page 2, following line 27: Insert new bill sections to read: "* Sec. 10. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read: TRANSITION: REGULATIONS. The commissioner of fish and game may adopt regulations necessary to implement the changes made by secs. 2 - 5 of this Act. The regulations take effect under AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act), but not before the law implemented by the regulations. * Sec. 11. Section 10 of this Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c)." Renumber the following bill section accordingly. Page 2, line 28: Delete "This" Insert "Except as provided in sec. 11 of this Act, this" Representative McCabe moved and asked unanimous consent that Amendment No. 3 be adopted. Representative Himschoot objected. The question being: "Shall Amendment No. 3 be adopted?" The roll was taken with the following result: HB 93 Second Reading Amendment No. 3 YEAS: 17 NAYS: 22 EXCUSED: 1 ABSENT: 0 Yeas: Allard, Bynum, Costello, Coulombe, Elam, McCabe, Moore, D.Nelson, G.Nelson, Prax, Saddler, Schwanke, St. Clair, Stapp, Tomaszewski, Underwood, Vance Nays: Carrick, Dibert, Edgmon, Eischeid, Fields, Foster, Frier, Galvin, Gray, Hall, Hannan, Himschoot, Holland, Johnson, Josephson, Kopp, Mears, Mina, Ruffridge, Schrage, Story, Stutes Excused: Jimmie Galvin changed from "YEA" to "NAY" 2026-01-28 House Journal Page 1517 And so, Amendment No. 3 was not adopted. Representative Kopp moved and asked unanimous consent that HB 93 be considered engrossed, advanced to third reading, and placed on final passage. There was objection. HB 93 will advance to third reading on the January 30 calendar.