Legislature(2023 - 2024)BARNES 124
03/28/2024 08:00 AM House COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS
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Audio | Topic |
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Start | |
HB337 | |
HB133 | |
HB168 | |
Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
*+ | HB 337 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+= | HB 133 | TELECONFERENCED | |
*+ | HB 168 | TELECONFERENCED | |
+ | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HB 168-ALCOHOL SALES: LOCAL OPTION 8:31:09 AM CHAIR MCCORMICK announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 168, "An Act relating to alcohol; relating to local option elections; relating to the statewide database of alcohol purchases; relating to alcohol licenses, endorsements, and permits; relating to municipal regulation and taxation of alcoholic beverages; and providing for an effective date." 8:31:26 AM PAUL LABOLLE, Staff, Representative Neal Foster, Alaska State Legislature, on behalf of Representative Foster, prime sponsor, presented HB 168. He paraphrased the sponsor statement [included in the committee packet], which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: House Bill 168 adds a new local option regarding the sale of alcohol. Currently, communities that want to operate an alcohol beverage store must operate all alcohol sales venues (for example, bars and restaurants that sell alcohol). House Bill 168 allows communities to operate an alcohol beverage store while leaving establishments like bars and restaurants in private hands. 8:33:13 AM REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT questioned the genesis of the bill. MR. LABOLLE stated that the bill was brought to [Representative Foster] by a constituent who had noticed a problem with vagrancy in his/her town, which was generated by people frequenting liquor stores. The constituent believed that the municipality could do a better job at controlling the sale of alcohol but did not want to infringe on the licensed restaurant and bar owners in the private sector. 8:34:07 AM REPRESENTATIVE MEARS asked how local communities were responding to the bill. MR. LABOLLE said one city council that he spoke with was interested in the idea but not pushing for it. REPRESENTATIVE MEARS highlighted the importance of gathering feedback from the communities that would be impacted. MR. LABOLLE replied that he viewed the bill as the beginning of the conversation. 8:35:13 AM REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked whether the bill would undercut the decisions of the local community. MR. LABOLLE clarified that the bill would add not modify - a local option. CHAIR MCCORMICK invited Ms. Wilson to speak to the bill. 8:36:39 AM JOAN WILSON, Director, Alcohol and Marijuana Control Board, Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development (DCCED), conveyed that community of Nome, which allowed for private ownership of alcoholic beverage licenses, was having trouble with public intoxication. She explained that private owners of the local package stores worked with city council to draft a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that restricted the sale and volume of alcohol. She reported that as a result of the MOU, the problem had greatly dissipated. With regard to the bill, she expressed concern that the two [package stores in Nome] would lose their licenses should it pass. Nonetheless, she stated that neither the Alcohol and Marijuana Control Board ("the board") nor the governor had a position on HB 168, except her own concern for capitalism. She added that there is a strong interest in allowing the people in local communities to choose what's right for them. She reported that the board took the issue in Nome very seriously and considered denying the renewal of both package stores, which spawned the importance of the MOU. She added that the board, the city council, and the package store worked well together. 8:40:51 AM REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT asked how many communities would be impacted by the bill. MS. WILSON said any community could participate. She shared her belief that larger hub cities, such as Bethel, Kotzebue, and Nome would be the most interested in the proposal. 8:42:18 AM REPRESENATIVE BAKER added additional context about his hometown of Kotzebue. He recalled that in 2010 or 2011, the city went from being a damp community to a wet community with a municipal owned and operated package store and the ambition to open a bar and grill as a local option, which was a difficult task for the municipality. 8:43:56 AM REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE pointed out that last time [the legislature] tried to amend Title 4 it took nine years with Senator Micciche's Senate Bill 9. 8:44:25 AM CHAIR MCCORMICK announced that HB 168 would be held over.
Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
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HB0133A.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 133 |
HB 337 Supporting Document 3.28.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 337 |
HB 133 Sectional Analysis 3.28.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 133 |
HB 133 Sponsor Statement 3.28.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 133 |
HB0337A.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 337 |
HB 337 Sectional Analysis Version A 3.28.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 337 |
HB 337 Sponsor Statement Version A 3.28.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 337 |
HB 337 Supporting Document 3.28.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 337 |
HB 168 version B 3.26.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 168 |
HB168 Sponsor Statement Version B 3.26.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 168 |
HB168 Sectional Analysis Version B 3.26.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 168 |
HB 133 Amendment A.2 3.28.24.pdf |
HCRA 3/28/2024 8:00:00 AM |
HB 133 |