04/06/2021 10:00 AM House FISHERIES

               HB 54-INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
10:17:01 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR TARR  announced that the  first order of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE  BILL NO.  54,  "An Act  establishing  the Alaska  Invasive                                                               
Species Council in  the Department of Fish and  Game; relating to                                                               
management  of invasive  species;  relating  to invasive  species                                                               
management decals; and providing for an effective date."                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  TARR  related that  the  proposed  funding of  the  Alaska                                                               
Invasive  Species  Council  with $60,000  from  the  unrestricted                                                               
general fund (USG) came up as an  issue.  She said Amendment 1 is                                                               
an idea that would address the issue.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
10:18:11 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  STUTES moved  to adopt  Amendment 1,  labeled 32-                                                               
LS0057\W.1, Bullard, 4/5/21, which read:                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, following line 4:                                                                                                  
     Insert a new bill section 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 Department of Fish and Game                                                                        
     support the activities of the Alaska Invasive Species                                                                      
     Council,    established    by   this    Act,    through                                                                    
     contributions, grants, and other  forms of funding that                                                                    
     do  not  involve the  use  of  money from  the  state's                                                                    
     general fund."                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, line 5:                                                                                                            
          Delete "Section 1"                                                                                                  
          Insert "Sec. 2"                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
     Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
10:18:23 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR TARR  objected for discussion purposes.  She explained that                                                               
Amendment 1 is  legislative intent language.   She recounted that                                                               
adjusting the  fiscal note was  suggested, but the  committee was                                                               
advised that that  was something for the  House Finance Committee                                                               
to potentially  address.   She further  recounted that  there was                                                               
also  a concern  about the  [Alaska Department  of Fish  and Game                                                               
(ADF&G)] commissioner  being prevented  from moving  forward with                                                               
seeking  grant  funds.   Therefore,  she  continued, Amendment  1                                                               
seems  like  a better  option  because,  through discussion,  the                                                               
committee  can establish  its intent  that [the  council] not  be                                                               
funded through  the UGF.  She  said the bill's next  committee of                                                               
referral is the House Resources Standing Committee.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
10:19:48 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ORTIZ inquired about  the reality of other funding                                                               
truly happening should Amendment 1 pass.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR TARR  replied that  her sense from  talking with  the ADF&G                                                               
commissioner is  that he feels  comfortable there would  be grant                                                               
opportunities.     She   said  she   is  also   aware  of   grant                                                               
opportunities  and that  there may  be federal  funding as  well.                                                               
She further related  that a provision in the  "hatchery bill" [HB
] would  keep $2.50  from the fee  as a  statutorily designated                                                               
receipt  for   invasive  species  management.     She  cautioned,                                                               
however, that  [HB 80]  is still  moving through  the legislative                                                               
process, so the committee cannot get  ahead of itself.  She asked                                                               
Commissioner Vincent-Lang to further address the question.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
10:21:30 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
DOUG VINCENT-LANG,  Commissioner, Alaska  Department of  Fish and                                                               
Game (ADF&G),  responded he is  convinced that there are  pots of                                                               
money available  which could  be tapped  to support  the proposed                                                               
Alaska Invasive Species  Council without using UGF  the first two                                                               
or three  years.  He noted  that HB 54 originally  had regulatory                                                               
authorities associated  with it  as well as  the council  and his                                                               
thought  was that  a first  positive step  would be  to form  the                                                               
council to evaluate  some of the issues  associated with invasive                                                               
species and  come together with  some solid  recommendations that                                                               
could be moved  forward.  He said ADF&G is  looking internally at                                                               
other funding  sources such as  state wildlife action  grants and                                                               
the  fish  and game  fund,  given  the importance  that  invasive                                                               
species play in  the state and the threats they  pose to Alaska's                                                               
existing fish and game resources.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
10:22:36 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR TARR removed her objection to  Amendment 1.  There being no                                                               
further objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
10:23:02 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE VANCE  asked whether the [proposed]  council would                                                               
be looking at  invasive birds and animals in  addition to looking                                                               
at invasive aquatic species.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR TARR  referenced [page 2]  of the bill detailing  the tasks                                                               
and membership in  the council.  She answered  that the intention                                                               
with designating  the Department  of Natural Resources  (DNR) and                                                               
ADF&G as  participants in  the council  is [to  address] aquatic,                                                               
terrestrial, vegetative,  and other living organisms.   The point                                                               
will be for  the council to have that  comprehensive overview and                                                               
plan, she added.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
10:24:16 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  TARR specified  that as  a committee  bill, the  committee                                                               
will  be  working with  the  next  committee  of referral.    She                                                               
offered her appreciation  to the members for working  on the bill                                                               
and said it will be beneficial for all of Alaska.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
10:24:46 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE STUTES moved  to report HB 54, as  amended, out of                                                               
committee  with   individual  recommendations   and  accompanying                                                               
fiscal  notes.    There  being no  objection,  CSHB  54(FSH)  was                                                               
reported out of the House Special Committee on Fisheries.