Legislature(2013 - 2014)HOUSE FINANCE 519
02/26/2014 01:30 PM House FINANCE
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB298 | |
| HB234 | |
| HB268 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 298 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 234 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 268 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
HOUSE BILL NO. 268
"An Act relating to big bull moose derbies."
2:53:46 PM
Representative Tammy Wilson discussed the bill. She read
from the Sponsor Statement (copy on file).
House Bill 268 would allow the Tanana Valley Sportsmen
Association to raise funds for their organization and
the University of Fairbanks Nanooks Rifle team
equally. The big bull moose derby would be operated
much like other contests already allowed under
statute. This will take place during the annual moose
season, by individuals that have acquired all the
proper documentation already implemented by the State
of Alaska to stay within the legal boundaries of the
moose season. Participants must purchase a derby
ticket prior to the open day of the season…
The Tanana Valley Sportsmen's Association (TVSA) is a
nonprofit organization that hosts training and
completion events for the nationally ranked University
of Alaska Nanooks Rifle Team as well as the local high
schools…
House Bill 268 would allow the raising of funds to
further the use of the TVSA club house and support the
efforts of the nationally ranked UAF Nanooks Rifle
team….
Representative Wilson explained that the rifle team had a
fire in its facility several years ago and was trying to
recover. Most of the team's funding was provided through
community support. She wished to provide opportunities for
the team to raise money without having to ask for state
assistance. She noted that HB 268 was changed from the
original version to include the Snow Town Ice Classic,
operated by the Advocates for Victims of Violence (AVV).
Representative Costello MOVED to ADOPT the proposed
committee substitute for HB 268 (FIN), Work Draft 28-
LS085\P (Martin 2/25/14). Representative Guttenberg
OBJECTED for discussion.
DANIEL GEORGE, STAFF, CO-CHAIR STOLTZE, discussed the
committee substitute (CS). He explained that the CS
contained changes to Section 4 and Section 6, which
resulted in a title change. He read the addition to the
title on page 1, lines 1 to 2:
"…and relating to permits for games of chance and
contests of skill."
The title change was generated by the changes to Section 4,
page 3, lines 20 through 26:
… (big) bull moose derbies, and king salmon classics,
a permit may not be issued for an activity [MAY NOT BE
LICENSED] under this chapter unless it existed in the
state in substantially the same form and was conducted
in substantially the same manner before January 1,
1959. A permit may not be issued for a snow machine
classic [MAY NOT BE LICENSED] under this chapter
unless it has been in existence for at least five
years before the permit is issued [LICENSING]. A
permit may not be issued for an [AN] animal classic
[MAY NOT BE LICENSED] under this chapter.
Mr. George furthered that references to "permits" replaced
preferences to "licensed." The Department of Revenue (DOR)
advised that the language was more consistent with existing
statute. He noted that in Section 6, page 4, line 16 the
words "for harvesting bull moose" were removed and the word
"moose" prior to the word "antlers" was added.
Co-Chair Stoltze OPENED public testimony.
2:59:53 PM
GRANT LEWIS, TANANA VALLEY SPORTSMAN ASSOCIATION, FAIRBANKS
(via teleconference), spoke in favor of the legislation. He
recounted that the club was founded in 1911. The
association was incorporated as a non-profit in 1937. The
association hosted the local high school team practices and
competitions and had its own youth shooting club with 100
members. The association taught gun safety and
marksmanship. In addition, three other high school and two
middle school shooting clubs used the facility. The money
earned from the derby would be split between the club and
the University to help maintain the facility and to support
the youth programs.
DAN JORDAN, UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS, COACH, NANOOKS
RIFLE TEAM (via teleconference), testified in favor of the
legislation. He stated that the club won multiple national
championships. He stated that over the years seven team
members had participated in the Olympics. Team members won
medals in the last Olympic Games. He noted that he was
always searching for new ways to find funding for the
program and was working on the derby concept for 9 years.
He thought teaming up with TVSA and the youth in the
community was a "win-win" situation.
Representative Guttenberg expressed congratulations for the
team's national qualification. He asked how the team
planned to operate the derby.
Mr. Jordan replied that team would work in conjunction with
TVSA and use its gaming permit. He hoped to develop a
website and organize the derby in a similar fashion as the
halibut derby in Valdez.
MIKE TINKER, TANANA VALLEY SPORTSMAN ASSOCIATION, FAIRBANKS
(via teleconference), testified in favor of the
legislation. He was a supporter of the university team. He
noted that TVSA had other gaming permits in the past. The
association diligently prepared for the legislation's
gaming permit. The association enthusiastically supported
the event and was looking forward to the next step. He
appreciated the committee's consideration of HB 268.
Co-Chair Stoltze commended the association's process to
ensure the legislation was properly vetted.
MEL BOWEN, DIRECTOR, ADVOCATES FOR VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE,
VALDEZ (via teleconference), supported the legislation. She
described the program. The Advocates for Victims of
Violence (AVV) was one of twenty programs that provided
services for victims of domestic violence and sexual
assault for 18 communities from Glennallen to Valdez. The
programs costs had risen over $20 thousand within the last
year. State funding was divided between 20 programs in the
state. The program would need an additional $25 thousand
over the current state funding level. She hoped to meet the
projected shortfall with eligibility to receive funding
from the snow classic. She wanted to avoid cuts to program
services or turning away victims.
DARRELL VERFAILLIE, DIRECTOR, PARKS, RECREATION, AND
CULTURAL SERVICES, VALDEZ (via teleconference), voiced that
the City of Valdez would not receive any revenues from the
event. The department would coordinate and assist with the
event on behalf of AVV. The classic would help generate AVV
revenues and bolster the department's winter offerings.
3:11:07 PM
Co-Chair Stoltze CLOSED public testimony.
JOSEPH KOSS, TAX AUDITOR, TAX DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF
REVENUE, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), discussed the
changes in the CS. He explained that the gaming statute
contained three sections and all three were contained in HB
268, which listed the legal gaming activities in the state.
The first two sections concerned permitting gaming
activities and the third section dealt with licensing. He
delineated that DOR licensed operators who conduct
activities on behalf of permittees and granted permits to
organizations to conduct the gaming activities. The changes
allowed consistency between Section 3 and Sections 1 and 2.
Co-Chair Stoltze stated that a description of the gaming
activity was typically described in statute. He asked
whether the description was contained in the bill.
Mr. Koss replied that the Snow Town Ice Classic was
included in the basic ice classic definition in Section 5
of the legislation.
Representative Guttenberg referred to the many different
classics events in the state. He indicated that the moose
derby involved hunting big game. He asked if the Department
of Fish and Game (DFG) was consulted.
Representative Wilson clarified that DFG was consulted. The
derby would take place during the regular moose hunting
season. Participants could guess the spread of the antlers
without hunting. The event was taking advantage of hunting
that was already going on. She mentioned extensive
discussion in the House Resources Committee. The event
could merely be a game of chance based on the data from
hunters after they documented their moose and did not add
additional work for the department.
Representative Guttenberg clarified that his concern was
whether hunting behavior would be changed.
Representative Wilson understood that the hunting patterns
were currently tracked by the department and much
discussion regarding the issue took place in the previous
committee. She surmised that if a hunter was trophy hunting
instead of hunting for food the hunter already was engaged
in that type of behavior. She thought that the event would
not alter hunting behavior.
Representative Guttenberg asked whether guided trophy
hunters would be eligible.
Representative Wilson relayed that only employees of DFG
were ineligible to participate. The operator of the gaming
event had the prerogative to exclude any group.
Co-Chair Stoltze commented that the legislature
conventionally included the rules of conduct in statute. He
wished to see a description of the activities in the
legislation. He thought that Alaskans were hesitant about
gaming expansions although non-profit games of chance were
generally accepted.
3:20:05 PM
Representative Gara asked whether DFG would discuss the
potential game population impacts.
Co-Chair Stoltze answered that the premise of the bill was
a function of DOR concerning gaming and games of chance. He
wondered why the legislation was referred to the House
Resources Committee since it did not pertain to resource
management issues.
Representative Wilson addressed the ice classic portion of
the legislation. She pointed out that the event was
described on page 3 of the legislation. She read the
following:
"…ice classic" means a game of chance where a prize of
money is awarded for the closest guess of the time the
ice moves in a body of water or watercourse in the
state and is limited to the Nenana and Chena Ice Pools
in the same…"
Representative Wilson added that the event was very similar
to the Nenana Ice Classic.
Representative Wilson addressed Representative Gara's
question. She detailed that DFG examined the bill due to
the title and found the legislation acceptable. She
restated that the bill would not affect any changes in the
way the department carried out moose hunts nor would it add
any additional permits. She reiterated that most people
hunt for meat and a few might hunt for trophy but she
didn't believe the bill would change any hunting behavior.
She relayed that DFG had not raised any objections.
3:23:16 PM
Representative Gara wondered whether DFG would have
authority to cancel the derby to protect the moose
population in a time of shortage.
Co-Chair Stoltze deduced that DFG managed game and not the
gaming regulation portion of the derby.
Representative Wilson stated that the moose population
would determine the number of permits. The department
routinely provided permits based on the moose population.
She stated that DFG historically had closed areas. She
emphasized that the derby could not increase the amount of
hunters or effort due to the limited number of moose
hunting permits. The department would act in the best
interest of the resource for the state regardless of a
derby.
Vice-Chair Neuman remarked that the Board of Game set the
allowable harvest within certain regions of the state. The
bill merely allowed community members to enter the derby,
support the organizations, engage in family activities, and
enjoy the outdoors.
Representative Wilson concurred.
JOHANNA BALES, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, TAX DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF
REVENUE, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), clarified that
Representative Wilson explained exactly how the legislation
would work. She concurred that the definition of ice
classic was included in the bill and that the derby did not
affect the permitting process with DFG.
3:28:58 PM
Representative Costello noted that the new Department of
Revenue fiscal note showed no fiscal impact.
Vice-Chair Neuman MOVED to REPORT CSHB 268(FIN) out of
committee with individual recommendations and the
accompanying zero fiscal note.
CSHB 268(FIN) was REPORTED out of committee with a no
recommendation and with one new zero fiscal note from the
Department of Revenue.