Legislature(2023 - 2024)BARNES 124
05/01/2023 01:00 PM House RESOURCES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Confirmation Hearing(s):|| Board of Game | |
| Presentation(s): Alaska Industrial Development Export Authority Project Updates | |
| HB20 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 20 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 20-CONFLICT OF INTEREST: BD FISHERIES/GAME
1:56:40 PM
CHAIR MCKAY announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 20, "An Act relating to participation in matters
before the Board of Fisheries and the Board of Game by the
members of the respective boards; and providing for an effective
date."
1:57:08 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LOUISE STUTES, Alaska State Legislature, as prime
sponsor, presented HB 20. She read the sponsor statement
[included in the committee packet], which read as follows
[original punctuation provided]:
House Bill 20 will improve the Board of Fisheries and
the Board of Game process by allowing members to
participate in deliberations on subjects for which
they have a declared personal or financial interest
according to AS 39.52, the Executive Branch Ethics
Act.
Board of Fisheries and Board of Game members are
currently required to divulge a conflict of interest
if they, or their immediate family members, are
involved in the subject being deliberated on. At this
time, the conflicted member cannot offer input on the
process and cannot vote on the matter at hand. This
bill allows the conflicted member to offer remarks and
input, but still precludes them from voting on the
issue at hand or on whether they have a conflict of
interest.
Allowing members with expertise in particular fields
to deliberate will help the boards make more informed
decisions, will result in stronger resource management
statewide, and will align the process with the
original intent of allowing boards to benefit from
members' knowledge and diversity of viewpoints.
Thank you for your support of this legislation.
1:59:54 PM
DONNA PAGE, Staff, Representative Louise Stutes, Alaska State
Legislature, on behalf of Representative Louise Stutes, prime
sponsor, presented the sectional analysis of HB 20 [included in
the committee packet], which read as follows [original
punctuation provided]:
Section 1 amends AS 39.52.220(b), to allow a Board of
Game or Board of Fisheries members to take official
action, defined by section three of the bill, as
deliberating but not voting, on a matter that they
have a personal or financial interest in.
Section 2 amends AS 39.52.220(a) to exempt Board of
Fisheries and Board of Game members from the provision
in the Executive Branch Ethics Act that prevents them
from deliberating on matters they have a personal or
financial interest in.
Section 3 amends AS 39.52.220 by adding a new section
that allows Board of Fisheries and Board of Game
members with a personal or financial interest in a
matter to deliberate, but not vote, on that proposal
or subject being considered by the board.
Section 4 establishes an immediate effective date.
2:03:58 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked whether members of the Alaska Board
of Fisheries are currently violating Alaska Statute (AS)
39.52.220.
2:04:28 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES answered that there are discussions being
had by the Board of Fisheries that should be had on the public
record.
2:06:18 PM
CHAIR MCKAY asked how frequently meetings behind closed doors
and off-the-record are occurring.
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES explained the process that a board member
must follow once they declare a conflict of interest.
2:07:03 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE asked whether the Board of Fisheries is
covered under the Open Meetings Act.
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES confirmed it is.
2:07:58 PM
MS. PAGE noted that the percentage of recusals in meetings is up
to 24 percent since 2005.
2:08:50 PM
NATE ROSE, Vice President, Kodiak Seiners Association, gave
invited testimony in support of HB 20. He said that the high
number of recusals during meetings on the Board of Fisheries is
discouraging to those who look to the meetings for policy change
or new direction.
2:12:17 PM
CHAIR MCKAY asked how a conflict of interest is determined to
exist and asked about the legality of HB 20.
2:13:04 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES responded that she had not spoken with
Legislative Legal Services regarding HB 20.
2:13:48 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER asked why conflict of interest
regulations don't currently exist.
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES gave a history of the issue of conflict of
interest on the Board of Fish and explained the need for HB 20.
2:14:58 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER commented that state boards have varied
membership to allow for exemptions on the board if need be.
2:16:07 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES noted that the Board of Fisheries and the
Board of Game are the only two boards that fall under a
particular statute.
2:17:45 PM
CHAIR MCKAY announced that HB 20 was be held over.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| 3.31.23 Stanley Hoffman BOG App_Redacted.pdf |
HRES 5/1/2023 1:00:00 PM |
|
| HB 20 Sectional Analysis Version A 3.17.23.pdf |
HRES 5/1/2023 1:00:00 PM |
HB 20 |
| HB 20 Sponsor Statement Version A 3.17.23.pdf |
HRES 5/1/2023 1:00:00 PM |
HB 20 |
| HB 20 Public Testimony through 4.28.23.pdf |
HRES 5/1/2023 1:00:00 PM |
HB 20 |
| AIDEA Presentation - House Resources - FINAL 05.01.2023.pdf |
HRES 5/1/2023 1:00:00 PM |