Legislature(2013 - 2014)BUTROVICH 205
03/05/2014 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SCR16 | |
| SB77 | |
| Chinook Salmon Research Initiative Overview & Update | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | SB 77 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| = | SCR 16 | ||
SB 77-BIG GAME HUNTING WITH CHILDREN
3:55:10 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL called the committee back to order and announced
SB 77 to be up for consideration.
3:55:26 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE sponsor of SB 77 said he had a couple of
amendments and moved Amendment [1].
28-LS0630\A.2
Bullard
2/26/14
AMENDMENT 1
OFFERED IN THE SENATE BY SENATOR MICCICHE
TO: SB 77
Page 1, line 12, following "subsection":
Insert ", except for a Sitka blacktail deer when
the harvest limit for the deer is one for each
person,"
CHAIR GIESSEL objected for discussion purposes.
3:55:51 PM
LARRY SIMONS, Staff for Senator Micciche, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, explained that this was inserted
where the harvest limit for the Sitka blacktail deer is one for
each person. The purpose is to encourage youth hunting in areas
where the limit is one blacktail deer. The concern is without
this amendment that each hunter in a youth hunt normally has to
punch their tag, so the adult and the youth hunter both have to
punch their tag. That's a high price to pay for a small Sitka
blacktail deer. The thought here is to allow just the youth
hunter to punch their tag on a youth hunt.
3:57:20 PM
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH asked if the sponsor supported the amendment.
SENATOR MICCICHE responded that he didn't oppose the amendment.
He explained that he is the sponsor and Senator Kelly is a co-
sponsor.
3:58:08 PM
At ease from 3:58:08 to 3:58:57 p.m.
3:58:57 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL asked if there was further discussion on Amendment
1 (A.2).
SENATOR DYSON said the amendment makes sense and asked for them
to consider adding the deer on the Prince William Sound that are
also small.
4:00:18 PM
DOUG VINCENT-LANG, Director, Division of Wildlife Conservation,
Department of Fish & Game, said the Sitka blacktail deer issue
came up at a board meeting about a year ago when they were
trying to create a youth hunt for deer in Prince William Sound
outside of Cordova. One of the main issues the public raised was
that they didn't want to go out hunting with their son or
daughter and have that count against them for a small animal
like those deer that are numerous. So, in that case, the board
exempted Sitka blacktail deer from the rule. This would allow
them to do that under this regulation rather than doing it under
Hunting Heritages, which is where they got with that hunt in
Cordova.
SENATOR MICCICHE agreed that the deer are the same species.
4:01:19 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL removed her objection and Amendment 1 [referred to
as A.2] was adopted.
4:01:28 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE moved Amendment 2.
28-LS0630\A.3
Bullard
2/28/14
AMENDMENT 2
OFFERED IN THE SENATE BY SENATOR MICCICHE
TO: SB 77
Page 1, line 5:
Delete "may [SHALL]"
Insert "shall"
CHAIR GIESSEL objected for discussion purposes.
MR. SIMMONS explained that Amendment 2 [referred to as A.3] is
to leave the statute the way it is now, which reads: "For the
purpose of encouraging adults to take children hunting the Board
shall establish annual hunting seasons in appropriate areas of
the state..." and that is the intent of the section. He
explained that by changing it to "may" some might think this
gives the board the option and the intent of this whole section
is to more than just encourage the board, but to in a sense
direct the board just the way the statute does now.
SENATOR DYSON stated that he appreciated the change.
4:03:07 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL, finding no further questions, removed her
objection and therefore Amendment 2 was adopted.
4:03:22 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE commented that we live in a state that has a
rich tradition of subsistence, social, and cultural events based
on hunting, and the best way to hand off those traditions safely
is to accompany young people on their first hunts. He said SB 77
allows hunting training.
MR. SIMMONS added that the purpose of the bill is to grant the
Board of Game more flexibility in establishing youth hunts by
removing some timing requirements that are in the law now and to
allow families to harvest two Sitka blacktail deer in situations
where otherwise they would only be able to harvest one.
4:05:01 PM
PETER PROBASCO, representing himself, member, Board of Game,
Palmer, Alaska, said he supported SB 77. He explained that the
board does strongly support youth hunting. He personally liked
the bill because it brings the significance of getting youth out
into the field.
4:07:03 PM
TERESA SAGER-ALBAUGH, representing herself, Member, Board of
Game, Mentasta Pass, Alaska, said she supported SB 77 and read a
statement that supported youth hunts and described how the board
has been frustrated in timing issues for creating them annually
as required. Changing the annual youth hunt requirement from
"shall" to "may" is one of the key provisions that inspired the
board's support for SB 77.
She said their hunting regulations currently provide special
hunts with special seasons, bag limits, or both for a number of
different groups, some of which include youth, the disabled, bow
hunters, muzzle loaders, community hunters, and Tier 2 hunters.
She urged them to carefully consider the impacts of the board
establishing at least one new youth hunt in Alaska every year.
When coupled with the numerous other special hunts that are
provided to various user groups, it's mathematically certain
that at some point the harvestable surplus of game will be fully
allocated to select classes of hunters.
She reminded them that adults have always had the option of
taking children hunting under regular seasons and bag limits and
this will not change regardless of SB 77's final outcome. She
wanted to offer the perspective that mandatory annual creation
of youth hunts isn't really necessary.
4:09:12 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE responded that the "may" portion of this bill
does not require the creation of annual youth hunts and it was
changed to "shall". The intent of the bill is not to create an
expectation that there will be game available in areas that are
challenged with population issues.
SENATOR DYSON said he caught the implication that the board
would have to come up with a new one every year and the law does
not require that.
MS. SAGER-ALBAUGH clarified that she intended to mean create a
new hunt every year. And their interpretation was acceptable to
her.
4:11:30 PM
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH asked if she had been told that this language
mandates something that legislators are not aware of.
MS. SAGER-ALBAUGH answered that it has been brought to her
attention a number of times by members of the public that the
board is failing to comply with the statute as it is currently
written by not adopting youth hunts each year.
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH asked for ADF&G's opinion.
MR. VINCENT-LANG noted that the statute had been on the books
for many years and five or six youth hunts have been created. It
wasn't fair to say that the board has to create them, but the
key words are "in appropriate areas" and that they "shall"
consider creating them. So, in a fully allocated hunt they might
decide that is not an appropriate area for a youth hunt. The
board has a lot of discretion. The main issue the board
struggles with here is the earlier start date for schools;
August is just too early to have a meaningful youth hunt.
4:13:51 PM
CHAIR GIESSEL said he pointed out the deletion of some
significant language there which they hadn't really explored and
adding "that are open before schools start in the fall and
before regular hunting season begin" made this much more
flexible.
MR. VINCENT-LANG replied that ADF&G is looking for those hunt
opportunities to bring to the board, but they really struggle
with it especially in the Anchorage area when most of the moose
seasons are in September and October and then his main problem
is having enough staff.
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH asked if the general public misunderstands
what the board is supposed to be doing and she wondered if a
bulletin could be issued so that at least there isn't the
anticipation of new annual hunts being created.
4:15:17 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE said nothing in this language requires the
creation of an annual hunt. It says they will be created in
appropriate areas of the state. Folks are misunderstanding
things and the department would be very busy if they addressed
them all.
4:16:12 PM
MR. VINCENT-LANG said his intent was to bring opportunities to
the board to fulfill their obligation of creating youth hunts
where possible. They may not create any in a given year or they
may actually get rid of some that are causing significant
allocation or conservation issues.
4:16:57 PM
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH asked if there was anything about youth hunts
on the board website.
MR. VINCENT-LANG answered they would find them in their hunt
supplements and probably in a specific section on their website
about youth hunting opportunities.
Another thing the board has been doing is adding a requirement
that anybody that is able to draw one of these permits has to
have hunter education; this would be a nice follow-through to
their hunter education programs.
4:17:53 PM
SENATOR FAIRCLOUGH said if board members are expressing concern
about being questioned it would be good to clarify that if it
didn't cost too much.
MR. VINCENT-LANG responded if this passes he would have that
conversation with the board.
4:18:59 PM
SENATOR BISHOP asked if he visits with his peers in the Lower
48.
MR. VINCENT-LANG answered yes.
SENATOR BISHOP said he understood that the State of Pennsylvania
took the whole week off and everybody went hunting.
MR. VINCENT-LANG said he had heard that; many other states have
a law that says it's an excused absence from school.
4:19:42 PM
SENATOR MICCICHE noted a youth program site on their website
that talks about training, leagues, and youth conservation camps
and at the bottom is a youth small game hunt - kind of a
different thing.
CHAIR GIESSEL closed public testimony.
4:21:41 PM
SENATOR DYSON moved to report SB 77, version 28-LS0630\A as
amended, from committee to the next committee of referral with
individual recommendations and attached fiscal note. There were
no objections and CSSB 77(RES) was reported from the Senate
Resources Standing Committee.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| SCR 16 Amendment A.2.pdf |
SRES 3/5/2014 3:30:00 PM |
SCR 16 |
| SCR 16 Supp Document The Social Costs of Carbon.pdf |
SRES 3/5/2014 3:30:00 PM |
SCR 16 |
| SB 77 vs A.pdf |
SRES 3/5/2014 3:30:00 PM |
SB 77 |
| SB 77 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
SRES 3/5/2014 3:30:00 PM |
SB 77 |
| SB 77 Fiscal Note.pdf |
SRES 3/5/2014 3:30:00 PM |
SB 77 |
| SB 77 Supp Letter TedSpraker 20140204.pdf |
SRES 3/5/2014 3:30:00 PM |
SB 77 |
| SB 77 Amendment A.2.PDF |
SRES 3/5/2014 3:30:00 PM |
SB 77 |
| SB 77 Amendment A.3.PDF |
SRES 3/5/2014 3:30:00 PM |
SB 77 |
| SB 77 Supp Document Ted Spraker 20140304.PDF |
SRES 3/5/2014 3:30:00 PM |
SB 77 |
| SRES CSRI Overivew Presentation 20130305.pdf |
SRES 3/5/2014 3:30:00 PM |