01/25/1994 03:00 PM House L&C

  HB 266 - ELIGIBILITY FOR GUIDE-OUTFITTER LICENSE                             
                                                                               
  Number 015                                                                   
                                                                               
  MIKE HEIMBUCK, Staff, Rep. Gail Phillips, prime sponsor of                   
  HB 266, read a sponsor statement for the record.  Mr.                        
  Heimbuck noted that HB 266 seeks to accomplish three things:                 
  to extend the big game commercial services board's statutory                 
  authority to June 30, 1997; grant the board some authority                   
  to upgrade standards in the guiding profession; and to re-                   
  enact and define the "master guide" license.                                 
                                                                               
  Number 100                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. MULDER asked if Section 2 closes the pool of guides for                 
  certain species in effect since the only way to get a                        
  license is to have guided for those particular species and                   
  you can't guide for them without a license.                                  
                                                                               
  Number 110                                                                   
                                                                               
  MR. HEIMBUCK answered that the amendment seeks to give the                   
  board the authority to make regulations that aren't spelled                  
  out in statute.  It gives the board the authority to make                    
  adjustments when the conditions warrant it.                                  
                                                                               
  Number 120                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. MULDER restated his concern over whether or not this                    
  legislation would make it more difficult to become a guide.                  
                                                                               
  Number 125                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. MACKIE voiced the same concern as Rep. Mulder and added                 
  that currently there are no licensed guides on Prince of                     
  Wales Island.                                                                
                                                                               
  Number 147                                                                   
                                                                               
  PAUL JOHNSON, Chairman, Big Game Commercial Services Board,                  
  responded to Reps. Mulder and Mackie's concerns by saying                    
  that presently you can apprentice under any licensed guide                   
  and then test for a license in any unit.  It does not have                   
  to be in the unit you apprenticed in.  He added that Unit 2,                 
  Prince of Wales, is primed for new guides.                                   
                                                                               
  Number 218                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. MACKIE again brought up the point that since there are                  
  no local guides in the Prince of Wales unit, a person who                    
  wanted to become a guide in that area would have to move to                  
  another unit to apprentice.  Rep. Mackie added that having                   
  guides from outside the area having open opportunities and                   
  the local people basically shut out was a concern of his.                    
                                                                               
  Number 245                                                                   
                                                                               
  MR. JOHNSON stated that the board encourages opportunities                   
  for people in the rural areas and thinks it will eventually                  
  work out.  Mr. Johnson believes that the program in place is                 
  the best solution  at this time.  Mr. Johnson added that                     
  local people have the opportunity to guide in their own                      
  areas under the assistant guide program.                                     
                                                                               
  MR. JOHNSON stated that the number one priority of the board                 
  was encouraging rural development.                                           
                                                                               
  Number 281                                                                   
                                                                               
  JOE KLETZ, President, Alaska Professional Hunters                            
  Association and Alaska's Guide and Outfitters Association,                   
  testified in support of HB 266.  Mr. Kletz stated that the                   
  guiding and transporting industry in Alaska generate upwards                 
  of $100,000 million annually. Non-resident hunters account                   
  for between 10% and 15% of the annual harvest of big game                    
  animals.                                                                     
                                                                               
  MR. KLETZ gave an overview of the guiding and hunting                        
  industry.                                                                    
                                                                               
  Number 358                                                                   
                                                                               
  KARL LUCK, Director of Occupational Licensing, Department of                 
  Commerce and Economic Development, testified that neither                    
  the Division nor the Commissioner had any problems with HB
 as far as he know.                                                       
                                                                               
  Number 382                                                                   
                                                                               
  DICK ROHRER testified from Kodiak via teleconference in                      
  support of HB 266.                                                           
                                                                               
  Number 391                                                                   
                                                                               
  ERIC STIRRUP testified from Kodiak via teleconference in                     
  support of HB 266.                                                           
                                                                               
  REP. PORTER moved the amendments to HB 266.  No objections                   
  were heard; it was so ordered.                                               
                                                                               
  REP. GREEN moved HB 266 as amended with individual                           
  recommendations and fiscal note.  No objections were heard,                  
  it was so ordered.                                                           
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN HUDSON adjourned the meeting at 3:30 p.m.