04/26/2024 01:00 PM House RESOURCES

          HJR 22-RESIDENT SUBSISTENCE USE OF FISH/GAME                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:19:05 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCKAY announced  that the final order of  business would be                                                               
HOUSE  JOINT RESOLUTION  NO. 22  "Proposing an  amendment to  the                                                               
Constitution of the  State of Alaska relating  to subsistence use                                                               
of  replenishable  natural  resources  by  state  residents;  and                                                               
providing for an effective date for the amendment."                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  MCKAY  added that  the  committee  would be  reviewing  an                                                               
upcoming Committee  Substitute for  HJR 22,  labeled 33-LS1321\R,                                                               
Bullard, 4/18/24, [adopted by the committee on 5/3/24.]                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:20:11 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENATIVE BAKER,  as prime sponsor  of HJR 22, said  that his                                                               
office has been  doing outreach with stakeholders  and groups and                                                               
working with different entities to make sure everything is okay.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:20:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
STEVE  ST.  CLAIR,  Staff, Representative  Thomas  Baker,  Alaska                                                               
State  Legislature,  on  behalf of  Representative  Baker,  prime                                                               
sponsor, read the  summary of changes for  the upcoming Committee                                                               
Substitute   for  HJR   22  which   read  as   follows  [original                                                               
punctuation provided]:                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     This committee  substitute makes two  language changes,                                                                    
     deletes  a small  portion,  and  inserts language  from                                                                    
     Alaska National Interests Conservation Act (ANILCA)                                                                        
     sec. 801.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Page  1,  Line  8  The word  "may"  was  replaced  with                                                                    
     "shall"  to   strengthen  the  language  and   make  it                                                                    
     required and not optional.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     Page  1,  Line  9  For clarity  the  word  "rural"  was                                                                    
     inserted after  the word  "among". This  identifies the                                                                    
     major focus of the legislation, rural residents.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1,  Line 11 Changing  "or" to "and"  clarifies the                                                                    
     criteria for the application of this legislation.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
     Page  1,  Line  11  This  change  was  to  clarify  the                                                                    
     legislature's    responsibility.    After   the    word                                                                    
     "resources" and  the next three lines  were deleted and                                                                    
     "The legislature  shall limit other beneficial  uses of                                                                    
     replenishable resources to protect subsistence use of                                                                      
     the resource" was added.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     Page 1, Line  13 To ensure this legislation  is in line                                                                    
     with  ANILCA,  a  portion  of  Sec.  801  was  inserted                                                                    
     "Providing  the rural  residents of  the State,  Alaska                                                                    
     Native and Non-Alaska Native  alike, the opportunity to                                                                    
     harvest replenishable  resources in the  State's public                                                                    
     domain,   where  Alaska   Natives  have   traditionally                                                                    
     harvested renewable  resources for subsistence  use, is                                                                    
     essential  to the  physical, economic,  and traditional                                                                    
     existence of  the State's  rural residents,  the social                                                                    
     existence  of  the   State's  non-Alaska  Native  rural                                                                    
     residents, and  the cultural  existence of  the State's                                                                    
     Alaska Native rural residence."                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:22:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER  asked where the information  relating to                                                               
the  Alaska  Department  of  Fish  &  Game's  (ADF&G)  regulatory                                                               
changes would go if HJR 22 were to pass.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:23:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JOE  FELKL,  Legislative Liaison,  Alaska  Department  of Fish  &                                                               
Game, in  response to Representative  Rauscher, admitted  that he                                                               
would not be able to answer his question at this time.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:24:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER  restated his question and  asked where a                                                               
hunter or angler could access  information related to any changes                                                               
in  the  [Federal  Subsistence  Management  Regulations  for  the                                                             
Harvest of Wildlife on Federal  Public Lands in Alaska] or Alaska                                                           
Hunting Regulations books if HJR 22 were to pass.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:24:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  FELKL  attested  that  there would  need  to  be  additional                                                               
statutory changes to clarify that question.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:25:06 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENATIVE  BAKER,  in  response to  Representative  Rauscher,                                                               
clarified that  this resolution would  amend the  constitution of                                                               
the  State of  Alaska, which  would  lay the  groundwork for  any                                                               
proposed  statutory change  Representative Rauscher  is referring                                                               
to.                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:25:54 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  asked what the state's  current statutory                                                               
ability to manage subsistence use resources is.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:26:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  FELKL replied  that there  is currently  statutory authority                                                               
providing for  a subsistence priority that  separates subsistence                                                               
and non-subsistence use areas of harvest.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:26:48 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SADDLER pronounced  he  wouldn't vote  on HJR  22                                                               
until he hears back from ADF&G.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:27:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCKAY  said his  office is waiting  for further  input from                                                               
stakeholders and is  not trying to rush  this legislation through                                                               
at the end of session.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:27:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  asked for  a definition  of replenishable                                                               
natural resources.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
2:27:52 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  FELKL  replied  he  would include  that  answer  in  ADF&G's                                                               
written response to the current committee meeting.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
2:28:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENATIVE  BAKER   remarked  that  the   term  "replenishable                                                               
resources" refers to fish and game.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:28:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCKAY announced that HJR 22 was held over.