03/25/1996 03:38 PM Senate RES

        SB 247 USE OF FISH & GAME FUND/COMM'R'S POWERS                       
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN LEMAN  brought SB 247 before the committee as the final             
 order of business.  It was noted there was a Resources CS for the             
 committee's consideration.                                                    
                                                                               
  SENATOR TAYLOR  moved the adoption of CSSB 247(RES), version "F," as         
 a working document.  Hearing no objection, the motion carried.                
                                                                               
  SENATOR TAYLOR , the legislation's prime sponsor, said the primary           
 purpose of the bill is to constrain the department in the                     
 utilization of funds that are derived from the user public.  He               
 said receipts from specific taxes imposed on those people have                
 become the primary budget of all of the Department of Fish and                
 Game, with the exception of the Division of Commercial Fisheries.             
                                                                               
                                                                               
  SENATOR TAYLOR  moved the following amendment to CSSB 247(RES)               
                                                                               
 Amendment No. 1                                                             
                                                                               
 Page 2, line 8:  Delete "or"                                                  
                                                                               
 Page 2, line 13:  Following "tags;" insert "or                                
    (D)  construction and protection of shooting                               
 ranges;"                                                                      
                                                                               
 Page 3, line 27:  Delete "or"                                                 
                                                                               
 Page 4, line 1:  Following "tags;" insert  "or                                
    (D) construction and protection of shooting ranges;"                       
                                                                               
  SENATOR HOFFMAN  objected to the adoption of the amendment.                  
                                                                               
  SENATOR TAYLOR , speaking to the amendment to CSSB 247(RES), said            
 rifle ranges seem to be coming under greater and greater attack all           
 across the state, and it was felt that since it is one specific               
 funding mechanism that is provided for in federal fund it should be           
 in the bill to make certain those shooting and rifle ranges                   
 continue to exist.  He said the amendment contains the phrase                 
 "construction and protection of shooting ranges," but he thought              
 replacing the word "protection" with the word "preservation" would            
 be more suitable because it would allow the upgrade and improvement           
 of the shooting range.                                                        
                                                                               
  TAPE 96-36, SIDE A                                                           
 Number 010                                                                    
                                                                               
  SENATOR TAYLOR  moved as an amendment to the amendment to replace            
 the word "protection" with "preservation."  Hearing no objection,             
 the Chairman stated the amendment to the amendment was adopted.               
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN LEMAN  stated Amendment No. 1, as amended, was before the           
 committee.  Hearing no objection, he stated the amendment was                 
 adopted.                                                                      
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN LEMAN  noted that at the previous hearing on the bill, Jeff         
 Parker expressed concern that because the legislation included                
 sport fish stocks that it would result in the loss of federal                 
 revenues, and he had suggested that the references to fish be                 
 deleted and the bill just refer to wildlife.  He questioned if that           
 is a valid concern, and said it was not his intent that that                  
 happen.                                                                       
                                                                               
  SENATOR TAYLOR  said he thinks a good portion of the monies received         
 from the federal government is specifically allocated to sport fish           
 to enhance access for sport and recreational fisheries, and he                
 thinks Mr. Parker is incorrect that federal funds will be lost.  In           
 fact he thinks the way the department has been operating, they were           
 running a risk of losing some federal funds should an audit reveal            
 that they were using them for commercial hatchery type operations             
 instead of sport fish.                                                        
                                                                               
  GERON BRUCE , Legislative Liaison, Alaska Department of Fish & Game,         
 said he thought Mr. Parker had a valid concern.  He pointed out the           
 fiscal notes prepared by the department showed a reversion of                 
 federal funds to the federal government.  They do not believe that            
 under the original version of the bill that the purposes for which            
 those funds are authorized to be spent would be broad enough to               
 include many of the things that they do and are vital to their                
 sport fish and recreational hunting management programs.  He also             
 said the problem is not with the federal law and regulations; the             
 problem will be with this proposed state law.                                 
                                                                               
  SENATOR LINCOLN  said she would be interested in knowing how much            
 money the department believes the state would be losing in federal            
 dollars.                                                                      
                                                                               
  SENATOR TAYLOR  moved CSSB 247(RES), as amended, and the                     
 accompanying fiscal notes be passed out of committee with                     
 individual recommendations.   SENATOR HOFFMAN  objected, stating that         
 as a hunter and fisherman, he does not see a problem with of the              
 way the dollars are being spent by the Department of Fish and Game.           
 The roll was taken with the following result:  Senator Taylor,                
 Halford, Pearce and Leman voted "Yea" and Senators Hoffman and                
 Lincoln voted "Nay."  The Chairman stated the motion carried.