Legislature(2015 - 2016)SENATE FINANCE 532
04/12/2016 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB100 | |
| HB77 | |
| HB155 | |
| HB143 | |
| HB41 | |
| HB137 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 100 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 77 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| HB 155 | |||
| + | HB 143 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 41 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 137 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 41(FIN) am
"An Act relating to sport fishing services, sport
fishing operators, and sport fishing guides; and
providing for an effective date."
10:17:40 AM
AT EASE
10:21:27 AM
RECONVENED
Vice-Chair Micciche MOVED to ADOPT proposed committee
substitute for CSHB 41(FIN), Work Draft 29-LS0238\G
(Bullard, 3/18/16).
Co-Chair MacKinnon OBJECTED for discussion.
ERIN SHINE, STAFF, SENATOR ANNA MACKINNON, explained that,
over the interim, there was work on examining the issues
raised in previous hearing from the prior session. She
stated that on January 12, 2016, the stakeholders,
departments, and staff to address those concerns. The main
change in the committee substitute was that the freshwater
and saltwater were bifurcated, and the logbooks and
licensing only require saltwater. She noted that on page 2,
line 31 to page 3, line 9 added a definition of saltwater
sport fishing services. She looked at page 5, lines 10
through 14 which allowed the department to adopt
regulations for a procedure that allows a person to apply
for a waiver of timely submission of the reports required
in the bill. She stated that the other substantial change
was on page 8, line 19, which moved the effective date to
2019.
Co-Chair MacKinnon REMOVED her OBJECTION. There being NO
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.
10:24:31 AM
REPRESENTATIVE CATHY TILTON, SPONSOR, related that she had
worked over the previous interim to address issues that had
been identified.
10:25:21 AM
CRYSTAL KOENEMAN, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE CATHY MUNOZ,
discussed the sectional analysis (copy on file):
Section 1 - Effective January 1, 2016; establishes
license fees at the rate of $200 for operators, $100
for guides, and $200 combined.
Section 2 - Effective January 1, 2016; Amends
16.05.395 Sport fishing vessel registration; updates
the statute references to reflect the reinstated
program.
Section 3 - Effective January 1, 2026; removes the
language in Section 4 to reflect the 10 year sunset
provision.
Section 4 - Effective January 1, 2016; Reestablishes
the Sport fishing operator license, Sport fish guide
license, reporting requirements, penalties, and
definitions; only change to original statute language
is to reflect the updated statute citations.
Section 5 - Effective January 1, 2016; Reestablishes
language in AS 25.27.244(s)(2) as this language was
repealed December 31, 2014; cleanup of statute since
(ii) was repealed in 2005.
Section 6 - Effective January 1, 2016; Reinserts
language into AS 41.21.506 Comprehensive Management
Plan, Regulations that was repealed with the sunset
provision; This language requires the DNR Commissioner
to develop and adopt a management plan for the Kenai
River Special Management Area in conjunction with the
Borough.
Section 7 - Effective January 1, 2026; removes the
language in Section 8 to reflect the 10 year sunset
provision.
Section 8 - Effective January 1, 2026; Repealers for
the 10 year sunset provision.
Sections 9 and 10 - Transitional provision for
regulations with an immediate effective date.
Section 11 - Section 3, 7, and 8 take effect January
1, 2021.
Section 12 - Effective date of January 1, 2016.
10:29:35 AM
Co-Chair MacKinnon stated that her staff had sent her a
message to make the committee aware that there was an
ongoing issue related a violation in the bill.
Co-Chair MacKinnon specified that the subsequent two bills
concerned fisheries on the topic of state versus personal
use.
Co-Chair MacKinnon asked the sponsor to summarize what was
trying to be accomplished with the bill.
Representative Tilton stated that the bill was introduced
to better serve the state with regard to the allocation of
halibut resources.
Co-Chair MacKinnon noted that she would reopen public
testimony.
10:33:01 AM
ANDY MEZIROW, SELF, SEWARD (via teleconference), testified
in support of the bill.
Senator Dunleavy asked if the department currently kept a
logbook.
Mr. Mezirow stated that the department currently had a log
book, however without the legislation the department would
not be able to have it
10:36:08 AM
SAMANTHA WEINSTEIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SOUTHEAST ALASKA
GUIDES ORGANIZATION, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference),
testified in support of the bill.
10:37:24 AM
PAUL JOHNSON, SELF, GULL COVE (via teleconference),
testified in support of the bill. He was concerned that
individuals in rural areas would not proper access, and
felt that there was room for mistakes.
10:39:44 AM
Co-Chair MacKinnon mentioned that there was work on a
resolution related to the violation issue.
10:40:18 AM
DICK ROHRER, SELF, KODIAK (via teleconference), echoed the
comments of the previous testifier. He maintained that //
He directed attention to page 6, lines 4 through 6 of the
bill.
Senator Olson asked why the designation was changed to
saltwater only, rather than including freshwater.
HEATH HILYARD, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE CATHY TILTON,
explained that stakeholder meetings resulted in the feeling
that there were a number of unique situations within the
freshwater realm that required different treatment. He
stated that the logbook programs drove the information to
make management decisions at the North Council level, it
was deemed necessary to progress with treating the
freshwater at a different time.
Senator Olson wondered whether the bill targeted saltwater
guides.
Mr. Hilyard responded that it was not the intent of the
bill.
Senator Olson asked if the bill would have any effect on
Native and non-Native subsistence users.
Mr. Hilyard believed that the subsistence provision was at
a state level, and halibut was a federally managed fish. He
deferred to the department to answer more specifically.
Senator Olson stressed that he wanted an answer to his
question.
10:45:34 AM
TOM BROOKOVER, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF SPORT FISHERIES,
DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME (via teleconference), agreed to
provide that information.
Co-Chair MacKinnon requested more information about the
freshwater provision, and how that position would be
defended for logs in freshwater.
Vice-Chair Micciche understood that there would be no
change to the freshwater requirement.
Ms. Koeneman agreed.
ALPHEUS BULLARD, ATTORNEY, LEGISLATIVE LEGAL SERVICES (via
teleconference), remarked that the bill, except for one
provision, related only to the management of saltwater
fishing guides and saltwater fishing operators.
Vice-Chair Micciche asked for more information about the
change to freshwater.
Mr. Bullard referred to Section 2, which had a requirement
that all vessels used to provide sport fishing services
whether in freshwater or saltwater have appropriate
identification.
Co-Chair MacKinnon requested that language and amendments
be delivered to her office the following day.
HB 41 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.