04/08/2010 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 294                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act repealing the termination date of the                                                                              
     licensing of sport fishing operators and sport fishing                                                                     
     guides; and providing for an effective date."                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MIKE  PAWLOWSKI,  STAFF,  SENATOR LESIL  MCGUIRE,  explained                                                                    
that SB  294 is a  repeal of the  sunset for the  sport fish                                                                    
guide licensing  program. He referred to  the original bill,                                                                    
HB 452,  enacted in  2004, a  copy of  which is  in members'                                                                    
packets (copy on file).                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Mr. Pawlowski continued to explain  that the program created                                                                    
basic standards for sport fish  guide operators, a licensing                                                                    
system  for  sport  fish  guide  operators  and  sport  fish                                                                    
guides,  and created  a  log book  program  that has  proved                                                                    
important in the collection of  data to manage the resource.                                                                    
The program  was extended  for one  year last  session. This                                                                    
bill would repeal  the sunset date and allow  the program to                                                                    
remain in place.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:12:44 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson asked for an  explanation of the justification                                                                    
of  the  sunset repeal.  Mr.  Pawlowski  clarified that  the                                                                    
licensing program  does not have an  accompanying board, but                                                                    
is a license  within the statute itself. That  is the reason                                                                    
it  was  viewed  differently  than a  traditional  board  or                                                                    
commission. Senator Olson inquired  how the effectiveness of                                                                    
the  program  will be  evaluated.  Mr.  Pawlowski said  that                                                                    
there is  regular reporting on  the program and  the regular                                                                    
budget process  provides for an evaluating  process. Senator                                                                    
Olson  asked  if  the  number  of  licenses  has  increased,                                                                    
decreased, or  remained the same.  Mr. Pawlowski  offered to                                                                    
find out.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  noted one fiscal note  from the Department                                                                    
of Fish and Game reflecting  the on-going cost of continuing                                                                    
the licensing program at  $437,600. Funding currently exists                                                                    
in the FY 11 budget.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
9:14:28 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHARLES  O.  SWANTON,  DIRECTOR,  DIVISION  OF  SPORT  FISH,                                                                    
DEPARTMENT OF FISH  AND GAME, thanked the  committee and the                                                                    
sponsor.  He  related  that  the  legislation  sets  guides,                                                                    
standards, and  data collection  for management.  There have                                                                    
been changes  to the program in  the last year, such  as the                                                                    
addition  of  scanning  technology  that  will  improve  the                                                                    
timeliness of data collection.  He addressed Senator Olson's                                                                    
question and  stated that there  has been a  slight decrease                                                                    
in the last two years in the number of licenses.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Thomas asked  if there  were any  specific concerns                                                                    
about the  reporting requirements.  He wondered if  the fish                                                                    
logs could be simplified.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman requested  information  about the  current                                                                    
structure and where the department  wants to go with it. Mr.                                                                    
Swanton  reported   that  in  the  saltwater   program,  the                                                                    
department reduced the  size of the log  book and simplified                                                                    
the  data requirements.  The department  also implemented  a                                                                    
scanning program for the saltwater  log book and plans to do                                                                    
so for the freshwater log book.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
9:18:20 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Thomas asked  if the  same  would be  done for  the                                                                    
freshwater requirements. Mr. Swanton concurred.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson asked how the  repeal of the sunset date would                                                                    
affect the  other fisheries. Mr.  Swanton believed  that the                                                                    
collection  of good  quality fisheries  data, regardless  of                                                                    
the  use  of  it,  was a  cornerstone  of  the  department's                                                                    
mission.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson  asked if  there was  opposition by  the other                                                                    
two  fisheries  against  repealing   the  sunset  date.  Mr.                                                                    
Swanton said he was not aware of any opposition.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
9:20:00 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MELVIN GROVE,  BIG LAKE  (via teleconference),  testified in                                                                    
opposition to  the bill, primarily  due to the cost.  He had                                                                    
no problems  with the  data collection,  but was  opposed to                                                                    
the $100 fee  for the reporting program.  He maintained that                                                                    
the program  was too expensive. He  suggested implementing a                                                                    
simple scanning  program in  order to  save money.  He urged                                                                    
the committee to retain the sunset in the original bill.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:24:10 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman set the bill aside.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
SB  294  was  heard  and   HELD  in  Committee  for  further                                                                    
consideration.