04/14/2009 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 177                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An  Act  repealing  the termination  of  licensing  and                                                                   
     regulation of sport fishing  operators and sport fishing                                                                   
     guides and  licensing and registration of  sport fishing                                                                   
     vessels; and providing for an effective date."                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
9:20:24 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman gave a brief  history of the legislation and                                                                   
referred to  the fiscal  note by the  Department of  Fish and                                                                   
Game  for  $462,000.  He  pointed out  that  the  funding  is                                                                   
already in the FY10 budget.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KEVIN MEYER, SPONSOR,  explained that the legislation                                                                   
would continue  a good program  that would otherwise  sunset.                                                                   
He defined the  legislation as a program that  would maintain                                                                   
the professional  standards of  various sport fishing  guides                                                                   
in Alaska.  He explained  that the  CS previously adopted  by                                                                   
the committee  allows a guide who  dies or is injured  in the                                                                   
middle of the season to be replaced  with another guide prior                                                                   
to  receiving,  with the  understanding  that  the new  guide                                                                   
would obtain the training as soon as the season is over.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  referred to the bill as a  waiver provision                                                                   
and noted that training classes are offered once each year.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Hoffman  MOVED to  report  CS  SB 177(FIN)  out  of                                                                   
Committee   with    individual   recommendations    and   the                                                                   
accompanying fiscal  note. There  being NO OBJECTION,  it was                                                                   
so ordered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CS  SB 177(FIN)  was REPORTED  out  of Committee  with a  "do                                                                   
pass" recommendation  and with attached fiscal note  1 by the                                                                   
Department of Fish and Game.