03/01/2024 01:00 PM House RESOURCES

                    SSCR 1-DISAPPROVE EO 124                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:09:37 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCKAY  announced that the  next order of business  would be                                                               
SENATE   SPECIAL  CONCURRENT   RESOLUTION  NO.   1,  Disapproving                                                               
Executive Order No. 124.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
2:10:08 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JOSEPH FELKL,  Legislative Liaison,  Office of  the Commissioner,                                                               
Alaska Department  of Fish  and Game  (ADF&G), said  the governor                                                               
found  it   to  be   in  the  best   interest  of   an  efficient                                                               
administration  to  transfer  from  the  Board  of  Game  to  the                                                               
Commissioner of  ADF&G the authority to  prohibit, by regulation,                                                               
the live capture, possession, transport,  or release of native or                                                               
exotic  game or  their  eggs.   In simpler  terms,  ER 124  would                                                               
transfer authority  from the  board to  the department  to manage                                                               
"Alaska's clean list" for pets and  livestock.  The list is found                                                               
in regulation  and is  tied to  the board's  statutory authority,                                                               
which would  be transferred  to the commissioner.   If  a species                                                               
does not appear on the list,  it may not be imported or possessed                                                               
as a pet  or livestock in Alaska.  Proposals  to change the clean                                                               
list are  taken up  by the  Board of  Game only  during statewide                                                               
meetings, which  occur once every  three years.   Effectively, EO                                                               
124 would  allow these  proposals to be  acted upon  more quickly                                                               
and streamline  the process  while still  allowing for  a robust,                                                               
scientific   review  to   protect   Alaska's  valuable   wildlife                                                               
populations from contact  with nonnative species.   He noted that                                                               
public notice  and comment  would still  be required  through the                                                               
Alaska  Administrative  Procedures  Act   instead  of  the  board                                                               
process.  He  said the department would not  be fiscally impacted                                                               
by EO 124.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:13:38 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   SADDLER  asked   where   invasive  species   are                                                               
"situated" in state government.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
MR. FELKL answered  that the invasive species  program is managed                                                               
by the Division of Sport Fish.   He pointed out that the Board of                                                               
Fisheries  has  a  similar statutory  authority  for  "ornamental                                                               
fish," which would not be transferred by the EO.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:14:24 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE asked whether the  Board of Game can change                                                               
its  process  to  allow  for  consideration  of  the  clean  list                                                               
annually.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
2:14:35 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RYAN SCOTT,  Director, Division of Wildlife  Conservation, Alaska                                                               
Department of  Fish and Game  (ADF&G), shared his belief  that it                                                               
would  be  difficult because  if  the  board  were to  make  that                                                               
change, there  would be interest  in reviewing  other regulations                                                               
on an annual basis.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:15:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER  asked how  many people  capture, possess,                                                               
transport, or release exotic species.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR. SCOTT  said it's  "a big deal."   He added  that it  is often                                                               
about people trying to bring other species into the state.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:16:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MCKAY made the following statement:                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
     Let  the  record  reflect   that  the  House  Resources                                                                    
     [Standing] Committee  held a hearing  on SSCR 1,  3, 9,                                                                    
     and  11,  as  required  by  Uniform  Rule  49.    These                                                                    
     resolutions will  move on  to a  joint session  if they                                                                    
     are scheduled on the calendar for such a session.