03/16/2018 01:00 PM House RESOURCES

          HB 260-FISH & GAME LICENSES;ELECTRONIC FORM                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
3:13:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR TARR  announced that  the final  order of business  would                                                              
be HOUSE BILL  NO. 260, "An Act relating to  electronic possession                                                              
of  certain licenses,  tags, and  identification  cards issued  by                                                              
the Department  of Fish and Game;  and providing for  an effective                                                              
date."                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:13:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  DAN SADDLER,  Alaska  State Legislature,  speaking                                                              
as the  sponsor,  introduced HB  260.   He said HB  260 would  let                                                              
sportsmen  keep   their  state  hunting,  fishing,   and  trapping                                                              
licenses   on  their  cellular   phones.     State  law   requires                                                              
outdoorsmen  to  carry  their  paper   licenses  with  them  while                                                              
enjoying  the licensed activity.   However,  he continued,  anyone                                                              
who has  fallen into a  river or sat in  a rainy duck  blind knows                                                              
those paper  licenses will fall  apart at the inopportune  time of                                                              
a state  trooper asking to  see the license,  but a cell  phone is                                                              
always with a person.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  pointed out that since 2013  Alaskans have                                                              
been  authorized  under  law  to   display  their  auto  insurance                                                              
coverage by  digital device, and  this capability can  be extended                                                              
to fishing licenses  as well.  This would have  several beneficial                                                              
effects.   It  would  make it  easier  for hunters,  fishers,  and                                                              
trappers  to obtain  and  carry  their licenses.    It would  help                                                              
entice  new  entrants  into  these   activities  by  lowering  the                                                              
barrier to  entry.   It would  make Alaska  a more attractive  and                                                              
enjoyable   tourist  destination   because   tourists  could   get                                                              
nonresident fishing  licenses online  before their ship  pulled in                                                              
[to port].   It would  improve compliance  with Alaska's  fish and                                                              
game laws  by making  it easier for  enforcement agents  to verify                                                              
that  users are  legal.   It could  save the  state money  through                                                              
less  cost for  providing paper  and  less cost  for supplies  and                                                              
equipment.  It would  also lay out the foundation  for smart phone                                                              
based applications  that he hopes  eventually will let  the Alaska                                                              
Department  of  Fish  and  Game  (ADF&G)  deliver  information  to                                                              
fishermen on  regulations, openings,  closings, and  hazards while                                                              
letting  outdoorsmen   reciprocate   by  sharing  information   on                                                              
harvest  and conditions  back with  the department.   Until  then,                                                              
Representative   Saddler  said,  the   benefits  of  HB   260  are                                                              
significant enough to deserve swift approval of the bill.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
[The committee treated public testimony as open for HB 260.]                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
3:15:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MARK  RICHARDS, Executive  Director, Resident  Hunters of  Alaska,                                                              
testified that his organization fully supports HB 260.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
3:16:19 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR TARR  closed public testimony  after ascertaining  no one                                                              
else wished to testify.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
3:16:26 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR TARR held over HB 260.