Legislature(2019 - 2020)BUTROVICH 205
03/18/2020 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB217 | |
| SB189 | |
| SB204 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 189 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | SB 217 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| *+ | SB 204 | TELECONFERENCED | |
SB 189-SPORT FISHING ENHANCEMENT SURCHARGE
4:52:21 PM
CHAIR MICCICHE announced that the next order of business would
be SENATE BILL NO. 189, "An Act relating to the fish and game
fund; establishing the sport fishing enhancement surcharge;
relating to the repeal of the sport fishing facility surcharge;
providing for an effective date by amending the effective date
of sec. 21, ch. 18, SLA 2016; and providing for an effective
date."
He noted that the bill was previously heard on 2/28/20 and
public testimony was heard. He asked Mr. Rutz to briefly
summarize the bill.
4:52:55 PM
DAVID RUTZ, Director, Division of Sport Fisheries, Alaska
Department of Fish and Game, Palmer, Alaska, explained that the
bill would allow the department to keep a portion of the $9
surcharge added to the sportfish license fee implemented in 2005
to repay the bonds for building two sport fish hatcheries and
Southeast King salmon enhancements. The surcharge will disappear
when the surcharge pays off the bonds in December 2020.
MR. RUTZ said the intent of the bill is to maintain a portion of
the surcharge. The surcharge for residents would be $4 and a
little higher for nonresidents. The surcharge would help to
continue funding for hatcheries and King salmon enhancement in
Southeast Alaska.
4:54:00 PM
CHAIR MICCICHE turned to public testimony.
4:54:29 PM
FORREST BRADEN, Executive Director, Southeast Alaska Guides
Organization, Ketchikan, Alaska, testified in support of SB 189.
He said approximately 50 percent of King salmon harvested in
Southeast Alaska are hatchery produced. King salmon enhancement
is a substantial benefit to both residents and nonresidents that
fish the inside waters in Southeast Alaska.
4:56:08 PM
DAVID LANDIS, General Manager, Southern Southeast Regional
Aquaculture Association, Ketchikan, Alaska, testified in support
of SB 189. He stated that most fee revenue will go to the two
large hatcheries in Anchorage and Fairbanks that the State built
under the bond. However, the State has three designated sport
fishing hatcheries, including the Crystal Lake Hatchery in
Petersburg.
He explained that the Southern Southeast Regional Aquaculture
Association (SSRAA) operates the Crystal Lake Hatchery under
contract with the State. A portion of the operational funding
for Crystal Lake is through the surcharge. Continued surcharge
funding is critical to the operation of the Crystal Lake
Hatchery, especially for upgrading hatchery raceways.
MR. LANDIS pointed out that the Crystal Lake Hatchery provides
an impressive amount of King salmon in Southeast Alaska.
Enhanced King salmon account for half of King salmon harvested
in Southeast Alaska and the Crystal Lake Hatchery produces half
of those enhanced fish. The hatchery is an important facility
when accounting for the Pacific Salmon Treaty between the United
States and Canada. The hatchery is critical for sport,
commercial, and charter operators.
MR. LANDIS concluded his comments saying that the State's user-
pays system is fair and appropriate.
4:59:06 PM
MELVIN GROVE, Member, Prince William Sound Charter Boat
Association, Wasilla, Alaska, testified in support of SB 189. He
stated that the average angler does not know that there is a fee
added to their fishing license and would not know unless the
State takes the fee away. He said the association is not
surprised that the fee revenue will continue to support hatchery
enhancement and other possible hatchery uses. He suggested that
the bill include funds for data collection to verify enhanced
fish harvest.
CHAIR MICCICHE turned to the consideration of amendments.
5:03:20 PM
SENATOR COGHILL moved Amendment 1, A.2.
31-GS2165\A.2
Klein
3/9/20
AMENDMENT 1
OFFERED IN THE SENATE BY SENATOR MICICHE
TO: SB 189
Page 1, lines 11 - 12:
Delete "to sport fishing facilities for
maintenance and enhancement of sport fisheries"
Insert "for [TO] sport fishing stock enhancement
and ongoing maintenance and operation of the
department's sport fish hatchery facilities"
Page 2, lines 9 - 10:
Delete "to [FOR] sport fishing facilities for
maintenance and enhancement of sport fisheries"
Insert "for sport fishing stock enhancement and
ongoing maintenance and operation of the department's
sport fish hatchery facilities"
5:04:05 PM
At ease.
5:04:46 PM
CHAIR MICCICHE called the committee back to order and confirmed
that the version for Amendment 1 is A.2.
5:05:01 PM
CHAIR MICCICHE objected for discussion purposes.
5:05:05 PM
KONRAD JACKSON, Staff, Senator Peter Micciche, Alaska State
Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, explained that Amendment 1 makes
two changes. On page 1, lines 11-12, it deletes the phrase "to
sport fishing facilities for maintenance and enhancement of
sport fisheries" and inserts the phrase "for sport fishing stock
enhancement and ongoing maintenance and operation of the
department's sport fish hatchery facilities."
He detailed that the second change on page 2, lines 9-10,
deletes the phrase "to sport fishing facilities for maintenance
and enhancement of sport fisheries" and inserts, the phrase "for
sport fishing stock enhancement and ongoing maintenance and
operation of the department's sport fish hatchery" facilities.
MR. JACKSON explained that Amendment 1 would focus surcharge
funds more closely to the original purpose as expressed by the
department at the previous hearing.
CHAIR MICCICHE maintained his objection to explain that he felt
that the language was a little loose. The department talked
about the promise of the funding remaining with enhancement, yet
the language allowed other spending. He said the promise of the
original fee on sport fishing licenses was in fact for
enhancement and tightening the language was important.
5:06:32 PM
CHAIR MICCICHE removed his objection and announced that without
further objection, Amendment 1 is adopted.
5:06:43 PM
SENATOR COGHILL moved Amendment 2, A.3.
31-GS2165\A.3
Klein
3/2/20
AMENDMENT 2
OFFERED IN THE SENATE BY SENATOR MICCICHE
TO: SB 189
Page 1, line 2, following the first occurrence of
"surcharge;":
Insert "relating to personal use fishing permits
and fees;"
Page 2, following line 4:
Insert a new bill section to read:
"* Sec. 2. AS 16.05.340(a) is amended by adding a
new paragraph to read:
(28) Personal use fishing permit .......... 5
A recipient of a $5 resident hunting, trapping, and
sport fishing license under (6)(A) of this subsection
may obtain this permit for $5."
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
Page 3, following line 5:
Insert new bill sections to read:
"* Sec. 4. AS 16.05.340 is amended by adding a new
subsection to read:
(l) The commissioner shall charge the fee in
(a)(28) of this section for personal use fishing not
otherwise licensed or permitted under (a) of this
section. Receipts from personal use fishing permit
fees shall be accounted for separately under
AS 37.05.146(c). The legislature may appropriate money
in the account to the department to support personal
use fisheries, and to a municipality to support
personal use fisheries based on the total number of
days fished in all personal use fisheries divided by
the number of personal use days fished within the
municipality.
* Sec. 5. AS 37.05.146(c) is amended by adding a
new paragraph to read:
(80) receipts of the Department of Fish and
Game from personal use fishing permit fees under
AS 16.05.340."
Renumber the following bill sections accordingly.
Page 3, line 20:
Delete "2"
Insert "3"
Page 3, line 23:
Delete "2"
Insert "3"
Page 3, line 29:
Delete "sec. 7"
Insert "sec. 10"
Page 3, line 30:
Delete "sec. 7"
Insert "sec. 10"
Page 3, line 31:
Delete "sec. 9"
Insert "sec. 12"
5:06:50 PM
CHAIR MICCICHE objected for discussion purposes.
MR. JACKSON explained that Amendment 2 inserts a $5 fee on all
personal use salmon fishing permits statewide. That was not the
intent so the amendment requires a conceptual amendment to limit
the $5 fee specifically to Upper Cook Inlet personal use salmon
fishing permits.
CHAIR MICCICHE maintained his objection to allow a motion for a
conceptual amendment to Amendment 2.
5:08:02 PM
SENATOR COGHILL moved conceptual amendment 1 to Amendment 2.
CHAIR MICCICHE objected for purposes of an explanation.
MR. JACKSON explained that conceptual amendment 1 to Amendment
2, would focus the personal use fishing permit fee strictly on
the Upper Cook Inlet personal use fisheries. He detailed the
following changes:
• Page 1, line 7
Insert "Upper Cook Inlet" before the word "personal"
• Page 1, line 7
Insert "salmon" following the word "use"
• Page 1, lines 16-17
Delete the two lines except for the subsection letter
"(l)"
• Page 1, line 18
Insert "Upper Cook Inlet" following the word "from"
• Page 1, line 18
Insert "salmon" following the word "use"
• Page 1, line 20
Insert "Upper Cook Inlet" following [the first
occurrence of] the word "support"
• Page 1, line 20
Insert "salmon" following the word "use"
• Page 1, line 20
Insert "Upper Cook Inlet" following [the second
occurrence of] the word "support"
• Page 1, line 21
Insert "salmon"
• Page 2, line 1
Insert "Upper Cook Inlet" following the word "from"
• Page 2, line 1
Insert the word "salmon" following the word "use"
MR. JACKSON summarized that the conceptual amendment would
achieve the original intent of Amendment 2, which is to add a $5
per permit fee for Upper Cook Inlet personal use salmon fishing.
5:10:14 PM
CHAIR MICCICHE removed his objection to the conceptual amendment
to Amendment 2.
CHAIR MICCICHE related that the only opposition his office had
heard to the fee was that it would apply to all personal use
fisheries, which was not the intent. Individuals from Chitina
expressed concern that the fee would be added to the existing
fee for Chitina but that is not the case. It is strictly a $5
Upper Cook Inlet personal salmon fishery fee.
5:11:05 PM
CHAIR MICCICHE found no further objection to Amendment 2, as
amended, and stated that Amendment 2, [as amended], is adopted.
5:11:14 PM
SENATOR COGHILL moved to report CSSB 189, work order 31-GS2165\A
as amended, from committee with individual recommendations and
the attached fiscal note(s).
5:11:28 PM
CHAIR MICCICHE found no objection and CSSB 189(RES) was reported
from the Senate Resources Standing Committee.