02/25/2020 01:00 PM House TRANSPORTATION

             HB 185-REGISTRATION OF BOATS: EXEMPTION                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:04:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR STUTES announced that the  first order of business would be                                                               
HOUSE  BILL NO.  185, "An  Act  relating to  the registration  of                                                               
commercial  vessels;  and  providing   for  an  effective  date."                                                               
[Before the committee was CSHB 185(FSH).]                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:05:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  STUTES   [moved  to  adopt]   Amendment  1,   labeled  31-                                                               
LS1250\S.2, Klein, 2/25/20, which read as follows:                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, following line 21:                                                                                                 
     Insert a new bill section to read:                                                                                         
        "* Sec. 3. AS 16.05.475 is amended by adding new                                                                    
     subsections to read:                                                                                                       
          (e)  The Alaska Commercial Fishing Entry                                                                              
      Commission shall assess a commercial fishing vessel                                                                       
     registration fee of $8 a year.                                                                                             
          (f)  Fees collected under (e) of this section                                                                         
        shall be separately accounted for as provided in                                                                        
     AS 05.25.096(b)."                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, following line 24:                                                                                                 
     Insert a new bill section to read:                                                                                         
         "* Sec. 5. Section 3 of this Act takes effect                                                                    
     January 1, 2021."                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Renumber the following bill section accordingly.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Page 2, line 25:                                                                                                           
          Delete "This"                                                                                                         
          Insert "Except as provided in sec. 5 of this Act,                                                                     
     this"                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
1:05:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN objected to the  motion, for the purpose of                                                               
discussion.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:05:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MATT GRUENING, Staff, Representative  Louise Stutes, Alaska State                                                               
Legislature, presented CSHB 185(FSH)  on behalf of Representative                                                               
Stutes, prime  sponsor.  Mr.  Gruening imparted that  Amendment 1                                                               
would bring CSHB  185(FSH) to cost-neutral by charging  an $8 fee                                                               
per year in  lieu of the three-year $24 fee  that would have been                                                               
charged  at  the  Division  of   Motor  Vehicles  (DMV).    Under                                                               
Amendment 1,  he added, a  Commercial Fisheries  Entry Commission                                                               
(CFEC)-registered vessel  would still be  required to pay  the $8                                                               
per  year  to  the  Department of  Natural  Resources  (DNR)  for                                                               
boating safety programs  and the Derelict Vessel  Fund, but CFEC-                                                               
registered vessels  would not be required  to go into the  DMV or                                                               
display  the decal.   Mr.  Gruening informed  the committee  that                                                               
Amendment  1 also  included a  delayed effective  date for  those                                                               
folks who may be wondering about the current year.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:07:16 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND  asked what costs would  be involved with                                                               
the administration of such a minimal fee.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
1:07:39 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. GRUENING replied that he guessed  that the cost would be part                                                               
of  the  transfer,  but  that  he would  defer  to  the  CFEC  to                                                               
determine   what  administrative   costs,   if   any,  would   be                                                               
associated.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
1:08:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
DALE   KELLEY,    Commissioner,   Commercial    Fisheries   Entry                                                               
Commission, Alaska  Department of Fish  & Game (ADF&G),  said she                                                               
appreciated  the delayed  effective  date but  that some  vessels                                                               
were already one year into the  three year combined fee, so there                                                               
may be some  issues on the CFEC  end, but the CFEC  would be able                                                               
to work through those issues.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:09:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  STORY said  that  she  appreciated the  continued                                                               
funding for the Derelict Vessel Fund.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:09:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. GRUENING  said that as  a fisherman, he also  appreciates not                                                               
having to  go to the  DMV to fill  out extra paperwork,  and that                                                               
the  money  is  going  toward a  problem  that  exists  statewide                                                               
(derelict vessels).                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:10:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CLAMAN removed  his  objection to  the motion  to                                                               
adopt  Amendment 1  to CSHB  185(FSH).   There  being no  further                                                               
objection, Amendment 1 was adopted.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:10:47 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CLAMAN moved to report  CSHB 185(FSH), as amended,                                                               
out  of   committee  with  individual  recommendations   and  the                                                               
accompanying  fiscal  notes.   There  being  no  objection,  CSHB
(TRA) was  reported out of  the House  Transportation Standing                                                               
Committee.