03/21/2022 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES

         HB  79-SALTWATER SPORTFISHING OPERATORS/GUIDES                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:53:07 PM                                                                                                                    
VICE  CHAIR MICCICHE  reconvened  the meeting  and announced  the                                                               
consideration of CS  FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 79(FIN)  "An Act relating                                                               
to sport  fishing operators and  sport fishing  guides; requiring                                                               
the Department of  Fish and Game to prepare and  submit a report;                                                               
and providing for an effective date."                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
He  noted that  there was  a  committee substitute  (CS) for  the                                                               
committee  to consider  that reflects  the discussion  during the                                                               
previous hearing about whether or  not language about fresh water                                                               
fishing should be included in the bill.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:53:30 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  STEVENS moved  to adopt  the  Senate CS  (SCS) for  CSHB
(RES), work order 32-GH1608\G, as the working document.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
VICE  CHAIR MICCICHE  objected for  purposes  of discussion,  and                                                               
asked Mr. Harbison to review the changes in the CS.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:53:54 PM                                                                                                                    
INTIMAYO  HARBISON,  Staff,  Senator  Josh  Revak,  Alaska  State                                                               
Legislature,  Anchorage, Alaska,  explained that  the CS  removes                                                               
the requirements for fresh water  fishing licensure and reporting                                                               
that  were added  in  the House  Finance  Committee. Since  ADF&G                                                               
already has the  authority to monitor fresh  water fishing, those                                                               
changes  were  deemed redundant.  He  reviewed  the changes  from                                                               
version I  to version G  of HB 79  that revert those  changes and                                                               
align with the original bill title.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
     Sec. 1                                                                                                                   
      Makes the license types in the bill specific to salt                                                                      
     water guides and operators.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     Sec. 2                                                                                                                   
        Reverted back to version A which makes licensing                                                                        
         requirements specific to salt water guides and                                                                         
     operators.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Sec. 3                                                                                                                   
     Conforming amendments to Title 25 which reference the                                                                      
     above licenses.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     Sec. 4                                                                                                                   
     Changes due date of legislative report to December 31,                                                                     
     2023.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Sec. 5                                                                                                                   
     Effective date changed to January 1, 2023.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:55:39 PM                                                                                                                    
VICE  CHAIR MICCICHE  removed his  objection. Finding  no further                                                               
objection, HB 79 version G was adopted.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:56:02 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEVENS asked the department to comment on the SCS.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
4:56:37 PM                                                                                                                    
TOM   TAUBE,  Operations   Manager,  Division   of  Sport   Fish,                                                               
Department  of Fish  and Game,  Juneau, Alaska,  stated that  the                                                               
Senate CS  is essentially the same  as the original bill  and the                                                               
department accepts the changes.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
VICE CHAIR  MICCICHE asked him  to comment on the  statement that                                                               
the  amendments to  include fresh  water  fishing were  redundant                                                               
since the department  already has the authority  to monitor fresh                                                               
water fishing.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
MR.  TAUBE answered  that he  believes that  statement referenced                                                               
the department's ability to implement  fresh water log books. The                                                               
department does not  feel that those are necessary  at this time,                                                               
but they  know how  how many guides  are operating  because fresh                                                               
water guides are required to register.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:58:02 PM                                                                                                                    
VICE CHAIR  MICCICHE found no  further questions or  comments and                                                               
solicited a motion.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:58:10 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR STEVENS moved to report  SCS CSHB 79(RES), work order 32-                                                               
GH1608\G,  from  committee  with individual  recommendations  and                                                               
attached fiscal notes.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
4:58:28 PM                                                                                                                    
VICE CHAIR MICCICHE  found no objection and SCS  CSHB 79(RES) was                                                               
reported from the Senate Resources Standing Committee.