Legislature(2025 - 2026)BARNES 124
05/09/2025 01:00 PM House RESOURCES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SJR19 | |
| HB191 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 191 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SJR 19 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HB 191-INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT
1:46:04 PM
REBECCA HIMSCHOOT, Alaska State Representative, as prime
sponsor, introduced HB 191. She described the purpose of the
council and cited invasive species management councils in
Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. She provided context by
comparing the threats posed to those states by invasive species
to what Alaska faces. She discussed research conducted by Dr.
Schwoerer regarding the environmental risks caused by the
invasive species Elodea which threatens water bodies. She
reviewed the cost of managing invasive species, pointing out
that federal funding would pay for 72 percent, non-profit
funding would pay 21 percent, leaving the state to fund 7
percent. She completed her introduction with a cautionary story
about how requiring double hulls could have prevented the Exxon
Valdez oil spill and that Alaska now faces a comparable
situation regarding invasive species. She said that HB 191
would be an important first step in facing the slow-moving
catastrophe presented by invasive species.
1:51:08 PM
CO-CHAIR DIBERT moved to adopt Amendment G1 to HB 191.
1:51:20 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT explained that the sponsors welcomed
Amendment G1 and that the purpose of the amendment was to
clarify the number of board members needed to conduct business
as well. It also clarified which would be voting members and
which would be advisory.
1:52:07 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER objected. He expressed concern regarding
some members being deprived of the opportunity to provide
substantive input into recommendations.
1:52:52 PM
[Representative Saddler maintained his objection]
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Fields, Hall,
Mears, Dibert, and Burke voted in favor of Amendment G1 to HB
191. Representatives Coulombe, Saddler, Elam, and Rauscher
voted against it. Therefore, Amendment G1 to HB 191 was adopted
by the House Resources Standing Committee by a vote of 5-4.
1:53:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE moved to adopt Amendment G2 to HB 191.
CO-CHAIR BURKE objected for the purpose of discussion.
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE explained that the purpose of the
amendment was to align the date of the fiscal note with sunset
date of the council, so both are 2030.
1:54:18 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT explained that the 10-year sunset date
would give the council sufficient time to "prove up" the work of
the council. She did not welcome the amendment.
1:55:05 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER stated his support for the amendment,
explaining that five years should show whether the council is
working. He also expressed his concern that with a longer term,
the council would consume resources without check. He saw a
sunset of five years as appropriate and generous.
1:55:40 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT pointed out that there would be an
annual report, so the legislature would have a duty every year
to check on the work of the council. She pointed out that two
of the people who do the work are available to answer questions.
1:57:23 PM
CO-CHAIR BURKE maintained her amendment.
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Elam, Coulombe,
Rauscher, and Saddler voted in favor of Amendment G.1 to HB 191.
Representatives Fields, Hall, Mears, Dibert, and Burke voted
against it. Therefore, Amendment G.2 failed to be adopted by
the House Resources Standing Committee by a vote of 4-5.
1:58:15 PM
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE moved to adopt Amendment G3 to HB 191.
CO-CHAIR BURKE objected for the purpose of discussion.
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE described her amendment as a "creative
amendment," comparing her work on a childcare task force with
the proposed invasive species council. She explained that the
childcare task force worked with compressed time constraints,
and they accomplished a lot that way. Changing a ten-year
council into a two-year task force addresses her concerns
regarding the fiscal note. The two-year task force would come
up with a five-year strategic plan and help coordinate
resources. She explained how the funding would work under with
the amendment.
2:00:21 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT explained that a council would have
ongoing and changing work, versus setting up policies through a
task force. The distinction is that a task force would
accomplish a mission, whereas a council would have evolving and
ongoing work as well as having an advisory role with the Alaska
Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G). She described that initially
there would be no request for funding but when funds are set up,
they would act an emergency response fund for an invasive
species threat.
2:01:58 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER expressed appreciation for the
amendment, explaining that a task force would be structured to
get things done and would cost less money.
2:03:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER stated that he liked the amendment and
that it would remove potentially duplicative functions between
the invasive species partnership and the departments. He
posited that the work of a task force would be more focused and
could suggest the best way to implement invasive species
responses.
2:04:17 PM
REPRESENTATIVE MEARS explained that she appreciated the goals of
a task force but also appreciated that a council would have a
different mission. She compared it to the work of an office of
emergency management which would coordinate resources. She said
the work of a task force could be valuable, but the council
would be a better option.
2:05:07 PM
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE reiterated her concern regarding the
fiscal note and the budget crunch they were facing. pointing out
the lower costs of a task force. She drew a parallel to how
mental health was coordinated in the state by means of a five-
year comprehensive plan with the mental health trust and the
department of health. She suggested such an approach to dealing
with invasive species. The task force could offer strategic
plans, but ultimately, it would be up to the departments to get
the work done.
2:07:13 PM
JOE FELKL, Legislative Liaison, Alaska Department of Fish &
Game, as legislative liaison for ADF&G described the
department's position regarding HB 191. He explained that
regardless of whether the legislature decided to use a task
force or a longer-term advisory body, the department would still
need additional staffing to support that work. However, the
department was neutral on the amendment and would implement and
support the work of a council or a task force regardless of how
it is established.
2:08:16 PM
TAMMY DAVIS, Invasive Species Coordinator, Alaska Department of
Fish & Game, explained that the question regarding whether a
council or a task force would best serve was out of her area of
expertise.
2:08:43 PM
CODY JACOBSON, Invasive Species Coordinator, Department of
Natural Resources, answered a question regarding whether a
council or a task force would work better by referring the
question to Rena Miller.
2:09:19 PM
RENA MILLER, Special Assistant to the Commissioner, Department
of Natural Resources, responded to the question regarding
whether a task force or a council would be the better model for
dealing with invasive species. She said it would be a policy
call for the legislature, and the department would work with the
legislature whatever they decided.
2:09:58 PM
CO-CHAIR BURKE maintained her objection.
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Elam, Coulombe,
Rauscher, and Saddler voted in favor of Amendment G.3 to HB 191.
Representatives Mears, Fields, Hall, Dibert, and Burke voted
against it. Therefore, Amendment G.3 failed to be adopted by
the House Resources Standing Committee by a vote of 5-4.
2:11:31 PM
MS. DAVIS, in response to questions by Representative Saddler,
described her role as invasive species coordinator at ADF&G,
explaining that she facilitated, developed, and implemented all
aspects of invasive species management statewide. She explained
what entities on the state, tribal, and federal level they
worked with and concerns regarding rodents, marine species, and
other deleterious, exotic, and abusive wildlife. She pointed
out that invasive species are a threat to the environment,
economies, health, fish, and wildlife. She described steps that
are taken including raising awareness; investigating potential
pathways for species threat; partnering on detection and risk
assessment; and providing information to the public. She
discussed early detection monitoring networks and coordinating
with the University of Alaska. She mentioned water body mapping
and how water body vulnerabilities were ranked. She pointed out
what actions would take place prior to an invasive species
threat. She described early detection and rapid response plans
for the European green crab and other aquatic threats. She
discussed national and international organizations which address
threats from invasive species.
2:20:18 PM
MS. DAVIS responded to a question from Representative Saddler
regarding the work being done to meet the threats of invasive
species by pointing out the work done to eradicate northern
pike.
2:23:08 PM
MR. JACOBSON answered a series of questions from Representative
Saddler regarding meeting the threat of invasive species. He
described the statutory responsibilities for managing
terrestrial and freshwater plant species for pests and disease.
He discussed coordinating the work with other departments such
as ADF&G, transportation, and conservation as well as tribal
entities and federal partnerships such as Bureau of Land
Management and the park service. Efforts have been coordinated
through an invasive species hotline as well as soil and
conservation districts, communities, working groups, and task
forces. He described the work of Elodia task forces in Alaska
and their rapid response to new infestations. He gave an
example of the rapid response to Six-Mile Lake which took place
in a one-year period from infestation to full-lake treatment.
He discussed DNR's seed regulations which help the division of
agriculture's plant material center regulate the import or
spread of invasive species through seed.
2:28:03 PM
JOE FELKL responded to a question from Representative Saddler
regarding which department is best suited to deal with invasive
species by describing ADF&G's responsibilities. However, he
suggested that the question is actually a policy question for
the legislature.
2:29:38 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HIMSCHOOT commented that she was not sure it
mattered where it was housed. The most important point would be
that the work needs to be done and that not enough was being
done. She posited that the proposed council was a cost-
effective approach to the issue.
2:30:16 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS suggested that ADF&G would seem a good
match for responding to the potential threat of invasive
species.
2:30:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER reiterated his concern that the council
would create another layer of coordination rather than using
resources for the actual work.
2:31:35 PM
MS. DAVIS addressed a question posed by Co-Chair Dibert
regarding how goldfish became an invasive species. She
explained that they are a carp species which grow quite large
and are very invasive.
2:34:31 PM
CO-CHAIR DIBERT moved to report HB 191, work order 34-LS0541\G
as amended out of committee with individual recommendations and
the accompanying fiscal notes.
REPRESENTATIVE COULOMBE objected, noting that it was too
expensive.
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER agreed with the objection.
A roll call vote was taken. Representatives Hall, Mears,
Fields, Dibert, and Burke voted in favor of HB 191.
Representatives Elam, Coulombe, Raucher, and Saddler voted
against it. Therefore, HB 191 was adopted by the House
Resources Standing Committee by a vote of 5-4.