05/05/1994 01:30 PM House FIN

  SENATE BILL 46                                                               
                                                                               
       "An Act authorizing moose farming."                                     
                                                                               
  Co-Chair  Larson  briefed  the  Committee  on  the  previous                 
  pending MOTION to move CS SB 46 (FIN) out of Committee.  Co-                 
  Chair MacLean interrupted with  questions for the Department                 
  of Fish and Game:                                                            
                                                                               
       1.   Was there a surplus of caribou in the State;                       
       2.   How  the  legislation  would  affect  the  Federal                 
            Reindeer Act of 1937;                                              
       3.   Definition of surplus.                                             
                                                                               
  WAYNE  REGELIN,   DEPUTY  DIRECTOR,  DIVISION   OF  WILDLIFE                 
  CONSERVATION, DEPARTMENT  OF FISH  AND GAME,  responded that                 
  there are three large caribou herds  in Alaska at this time.                 
  Caribou herds naturally  cycle through  "highs" and  "lows",                 
  and many would say that there is a surplus at this time.  He                 
  agreed  that many  people  in Alaska  depend on  the Western                 
  Arctic Caribou herd for food.                                                
                                                                               
  The Federal  Reindeer Act  passed in  1937 would  affect the                 
  legislation in that  it restricts  ownership of reindeer  to                 
  the  Alaska Natives.   The Act  also defines  "reindeer" as:                 
  "Any reindeer or  caribou that are under  animal husbandry".                 
  Consequently, any caribou placed in captivity, automatically                 
  under  federal  law would  become  a reindeer  and  would be                 
                                                                               
                                3                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  prohibited from ownership  by anyone  other than an  Alaskan                 
  Native.    Permits  would  only then  be  issued  to  Alaska                 
  Natives.                                                                     
                                                                               
  Mr.  Regelin  explained  that SB  46  would  cause confusion                 
  within the Department of Fish and Game as hunters would want                 
  to get the caribou  surplus and the Department would  not be                 
  authorized to allow the issuance of  permits.  He added that                 
  "surplus" has not been defined to date.                                      
                                                                               
  Co-Chair MacLean indicated that she  opposed moving the bill                 
  from  Committee  until  amendments  had  been  made  to  the                 
  legislation  to protect  Native Alaskans.   Co-Chair MacLean                 
  MOVED  to  adopt  Amendment  #1,  #8-LS0371\S.1,  Utermohle,                 
  5/04/94.  [Copy  on file].   Amendment #1  would remove  all                 
  reference to "caribou".                                                      
                                                                               
  Co-Chair Larson  noted  that  CS  SB  46  would  be  further                 
  discussed  at the  following meeting.   Discussion  followed                 
  regarding  the  Open Meetings  Guideline  and the  amount of                 
  notice necessary to bring the bill back to Committee.                        
                                                                               
  SB 46 was HELD in Committee.                                                 
  SENATE BILL 46                                                               
                                                                               
       "An Act authorizing moose farming."                                     
                                                                               
  Co-Chair MacLean  MOVED to adopt Amendment #1.   There being                 
  NO OBJECTION, it was adopted.                                                
                                                                               
  Co-Chair MacLean  MOVED to  adopt Amendment  #2 which  would                 
  address  reindeer  herd  grazing permits.    There  being NO                 
  OBJECTION, it was adopted.                                                   
                                                                               
  Co-Chair MacLean MOVED  to adopt  Amendment #3 stating  that                 
  the Commissioner "will" exempt by regulation, the farming of                 
  free ranging reindeer.   There being  NO OBJECTIONS, it  was                 
  adopted.                                                                     
                                                                               
  Representative Therriault MOVED to report HCS CS SB 46 (FIN)                 
  out of  Committee with  individual recommendations  and with                 
  the accompanying fiscal  notes.  There being  NO OBJECTIONS,                 
  it was so ordered.                                                           
                                                                               
  HCS CS SB  46 (FIN) was  reported out of Committee  with "no                 
  recommendations"  and   with  zero   fiscal  notes   by  the                 
  Department of Public Safety, the Department of Environmental                 
  Conservation dated 4/25/94, the Department  of Fish and Game                 
  dated 4/25/94, and a fiscal impact note by the Department of                 
  Natural Resources dated 4/24/94.