03/29/2007 01:30 PM House FINANCE

HOUSE BILL NO. 137                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     "An    Act   amending   the    requirements    for   the                                                                   
     identification  card needed for sport  fishing, hunting,                                                                   
     and trapping  without a license by residents  who are 60                                                                   
     years of age or more."                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Vice-Chair Stoltz  MOVED to ADOPT the work draft  for HB 137,                                                                   
labeled  25-LS0118\R,   Kane,  3/28/07.     There   being  NO                                                                   
OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PAUL  SEATON, sponsor, explained  the costs to                                                                   
the Department of Fish and Game  for dispersing complimentary                                                                   
sport fishing  and hunting licenses to Alaska  National Guard                                                                   
members and  to residents  60 years and  older.   The process                                                                   
would involve  cross referencing  PFD  lists and sending  new                                                                   
TID cards.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:41:02 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Seaton  reported that the  enforcement section                                                                   
was removed from the bill.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:43:30 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Kelly  related a personal experience  with the                                                                   
PID.   He suggested another way  of dealing with  the problem                                                                   
of having to reissue new cards.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:44:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Seaton related  that the estimate of loss from                                                                   
abuse of the cards  is $137,000 per year.  Anyone  with a PID                                                                   
will  get  a new  card  in  the mail.    There  is a  lot  of                                                                   
unverifiable  abuse,  which is  a  problem with  the  current                                                                   
method.   Representative  Kelly thought  it would be  another                                                                   
layer  of bureaucracy  and an  unwelcome  hassle for  current                                                                   
cardholders.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
1:47:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Chenault asked  if there is a way to  issue a fix-it                                                                   
ticket  for  current  cardholders.     Representative  Seaton                                                                   
replied that the enforcement portion  of the bill was removed                                                                   
in order to accomplish that.   Everyone who is qualified will                                                                   
get a new license in the mail.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Joule wondered if  bar coding would  work, or                                                                   
other  technology.   Representative  Seaton  thought the  PFD                                                                   
qualification requirement would take care of the problem.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Kelly  suggested  another  way to  check  for                                                                   
eligibility  by requiring  a  valid Alaska  driver's  license                                                                   
along  with a PID.   Representative  Seaton  said he has  not                                                                   
thought  about it.   Representative  Kelly  thought it  would                                                                   
solve most of the problems.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:54:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
KATHERINE  SHOWS, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE  SEATON, pointed  out                                                                   
that   other    states   have   varying    driver's   license                                                                   
requirements.   Some seniors  may qualify for  a PFD  and yet                                                                   
have an out-of-state license.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Meyer noted  that the  legislation  was amended  to                                                                   
incorporate amendments by Representative Thomas.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Representative   Thomas   explained   that   the   amendments                                                                   
incorporated  into  Sections  1  - 3  would  provide  a  free                                                                   
license  to  active  members of  the  Alaska  National  Guard                                                                   
(ANG).   He clarified that the  gift is not an  inducement to                                                                   
join the  ANG, but  a way  to allow  members to relax  before                                                                   
they are deployed.  There will  be 1,400 Guard members by the                                                                   
end of the year.  He said that  the other body has no problem                                                                   
with this amendment.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:58:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice  Chair Stoltze  wondered  if this  could  be a  separate                                                                   
bill.   Representative  Thomas replied  how the decision  was                                                                   
made  to attach  the  amendments  to the  bill.   Vice  Chair                                                                   
Stoltze commented in favor of those amendments.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Meyer  pointed  out  that the  bill  has  a  3-year                                                                   
sunset.    Representative  Kelly  asked  who  requested  this                                                                   
addendum.  Representative  Thomas said it was his  way to say                                                                   
thank you to National Guard members.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Representative Seaton  said the bill was part of  a bill from                                                                   
another  committee and  the chair gave  permission from  that                                                                   
committee to attach these amendments.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Meyer  noted  that  the fiscal  note  needs  to  be                                                                   
rewritten.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:03:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Foster  MOVED to REPORT CSHB 137  (FIN) out of                                                                   
committee  with individual  recommendations and  accompanying                                                                   
fiscal note.  There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CSHB  137 (FIN)  was REPORTED  out  of Committee  with a  "do                                                                   
pass"  recommendation  and with  a  new  fiscal note  by  the                                                                   
Department of Fish and Game.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:05:23 PM