05/12/1998 10:40 AM Senate RES

            HB 73 - SALMON MARKETING ASSESSMENT & ASMI                         
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN HALFORD said he earlier expressed concern for Western                 
Alaskan fishermen who felt that they were paying and not receiving             
a lot.  He hoped that was corrected in the term of the sunset.  The            
committee substitute continues the Western Alaska tax to 2000 and              
the remainder of the tax to 2003 which gives them a couple of years            
to get support from the areas that feel like they are paying for it            
and not receiving that much benefit.                                           
                                                                               
SENATOR TORGERSON moved to adopt the CS to HB 73.                              
                                                                               
SENATOR LINCOLN objected for purposes of discussion.  She proposed             
an amendment on line 9 to delete, "proportionate..." through line              
11.  If this were proportionate to the contributions, then this is             
suggesting that Western Alaska would not be receiving any support              
from ASMI because of the low amount they would collect in taxes.               
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN HALFORD said he didn't mind if the intent was made more               
general, but he didn't want the whole statement taken out, because             
it was aimed at Bristol Bay more than western Alaska.  If they                 
wanted to put a modifier in front of proportionate, the concern is             
to get closer to being more proportionate.  He thought they should             
maybe delete "Western Alaska" because they probably get more in                
effort than return in taxes at this point.                                     
                                                                               
SENATOR LINCOLN said she would agree to delete, "and Western                   
Alaska" and removed amendment #1.                                              
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN HALFORD said he thought they should put "more" in front of            
the word "proportionate."  It is not his intent to tie in some                 
internal arguments.                                                            
                                                                               
SENATOR LINCOLN said she didn't have any objection to that and                 
moved to insert on line 9, "more" between benefit and proportion               
and delete on line 10 after bay through "Alaska."  There were no               
objections and it was so ordered.                                              
                                                                               
SENATOR TORGERSON moved to pass SCSHB 73(RES) from Committee with              
individual recommendations.  There were no objections and it was so            
ordered.