03/19/2024 01:34 PM Senate FIN

HOUSE BILL NO. 19                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act relating to the registration of commercial                                                                         
     vessels; and providing for an effective date."                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:36:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   LOUISE   STUTES,   SPONSOR,   thanked   the                                                                    
committee for  hearing the bill.  She relayed that  the bill                                                                    
had  last heard  the  bill on  May 4,  2023.  She read  from                                                                    
prepared remarks  and explained  the bill. The  bill removed                                                                    
the  requirement for  US Coast  Guard documented  vessels to                                                                    
register  with the  Division of  Motor Vehicles  (DMV) every                                                                    
three years. She explained that  the database was updated in                                                                    
real time and operators  were required to register annually,                                                                    
and  required information  included the  name of  the vessel                                                                    
and  the contact  information of  the owner.  The department                                                                    
had  been  very  cooperative  in not  issuing  citations  to                                                                    
vessels without  two stickers.  The department  relayed that                                                                    
if the  bill did not  pass, they would start  citing vessels                                                                    
without  duplicate  stickers.  She corrected  her  statement                                                                    
from  the previous  May related  to the  DMV and  Commercial                                                                    
Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) databases.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:40:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DONNA  FOX   PAGE,  STAFF,  REPRESENTATIVE   LOUISE  STUTES,                                                                    
provided  a  recap  of  the  legislation.  She  thanked  the                                                                    
committee.   She   noted   individuals  online   to   answer                                                                    
questions.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster moved to invited testimony.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
GLENN  HAIGHT,  COMMISSIONER,   COMMERCIAL  FISHERIES  ENTRY                                                                    
COMMISSION,    DEPARTMENT   OF    FISH    AND   GAME    (via                                                                    
teleconference),  thanked the  committee  and  was happy  to                                                                    
answer questions.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
TRACY WELCH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,  UNITED FISHERMEN OF ALASKA                                                                    
(via  teleconference),  provided  details about  the  United                                                                    
Fishermen of Alaska. The organization supported the bill.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Foster OPENED  public testimony.  He provided  the                                                                    
email address for testimony.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster CLOSED public testimony.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:45:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Edgmon  stated the  bill  needed  to pass  in  the                                                                    
current  year  and  should have  passed  years  earlier.  He                                                                    
stated it  was a commonsense  bill. He discussed  the merits                                                                    
of  the bill.  He  stated the  bill  was about  streamlining                                                                    
government and doing the right thing.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Hannan   asked   if   the   Department   of                                                                    
Administration  was available  to  discuss an  error in  its                                                                    
fiscal note.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster  noted the Department of  Administration was                                                                    
not currently available.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Representative Hannan  pointed out  what she believed  to be                                                                    
an error  in the DOA fiscal  note. The bill only  applied to                                                                    
boats that were Coast Guard documented and CFEC registered.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Foster noted  that  Representative Stutes'  office                                                                    
would follow up.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative Hannan referenced both factors.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Stutes  thanked  Representative  Hannan  for                                                                    
bringing up the issue.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Representative Cronk supported the bill.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Foster set an amendment  deadline for Monday, March                                                                    
25 at 5:00 p.m.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Representative Stutes thanked the committee.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
HB  19  was   HEARD  and  HELD  in   committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.