03/21/2002 09:13 AM Senate FIN

     SENATE BILL NO. 279                                                                                                        
     "An Act authorizing  the commissioner of fish and game to issue                                                            
     complimentary  sport fishing licenses and tags  to September 11                                                            
     emergency  responders and their  spouses; and providing  for an                                                            
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This  was the first  hearing  for this  bill in  the Senate  Finance                                                            
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilken,  the sponsor of the bill, explained  this bill would                                                            
authorize  issuing up to  250 complementary  sport-fishing  licenses                                                            
per  year   to  those   firemen,  police,   and  Emergency   Medical                                                            
Technicians  who  responded  to the  September  11,  2001  terrorist                                                            
attack on the  World Trade Center in New York City  and the Pentagon                                                            
in  Washington,   D.C.  as   a  token  of   appreciation  to   those                                                            
individuals.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Amendment  #1: This amendment  inserts the  sunset date of  December                                                            
31, 2003 into the bill.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilken moved for adoption of Amendment #1.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Senator Green objected.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilken explained  Amendment #1 would further define the time                                                            
frame of this  bill by inserting on page 1, line 12  the sunset date                                                            
of December 31, 2003.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Senator Green withdrew her objection.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Amendment #1 was ADOPTED, without objection.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Amendment  #2:  This amendment  defines  the  service  timeframe  of                                                            
responders  by inserting on page 1,  line 10, "at some time  between                                                            
September 11,  2001, and November 11, 2001, inclusive,"  and deletes                                                            
"on September 11, 2001," on page 1, lines 11-12.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilken moved for adoption of Amendment #2.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Wilken stated this  language would  assist federal,  state,                                                            
and local agencies  in identifying individuals who  qualify for this                                                            
benefit.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
There were no objections, and the amendment was ADOPTED.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator Leman  voiced support of the bill and asked  if the language                                                            
could be expanded to include  surviving relatives of those killed in                                                            
the attack or other responders.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Senator Austerman  stated family members  of the deceased  and other                                                            
responders  are not included as they  are not readily identifiable,                                                             
and the current  language in the bill  would be easy to administer.                                                             
He stated  the Department  of Fish  and Game  has determined,  using                                                            
statistical  analysis  that  approximately  100 to  150 individuals                                                             
might partake of this offer;  therefore, the number of free licenses                                                            
is capped at 250 per year.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Senator Leman  remarked that the inclusion of other  individuals who                                                            
generously  donated  time,  money  and  supplies  would  be  a  nice                                                            
gesture.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator Ward  asked if the  military police  on duty at the  time of                                                            
the attack on the Pentagon would be eligible.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
KEVIN  BROOKS,  Director,   Division  of  Administrative   Services,                                                            
Department  of Fish and Game, responded  he is not sure if  they are                                                            
included in the three identified categories.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Ward asked if the military police could be included.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilken confirmed they could be.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Senator Ward acknowledged the inclusion of the military police.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wilken  offered a motion to report CS SB 279  from Committee                                                            
with individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal note.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
There  were no  objections, and  CS SB  279(FIN)  was REPORTED  from                                                            
Committee  with a  new zero  fiscal note,  dated  3/19/02, from  the                                                            
Department of Fish and Game                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
AT EASE 9:30 AM /9:33AM