04/19/2006 01:00 PM House RESOURCES

HB 378-CHILKAT BALD EAGLE PRESERVE ADV COUNCIL                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR SAMUELS announced that the  next order of business would                                                               
be HOUSE  BILL NO. 378,  "An Act designating a  representative of                                                               
Chilkat Snowburners, Inc.  as an ex officio member  of the Alaska                                                               
Chilkat  Bald Eagle  Preserve Advisory  Council and  removing the                                                               
mayor  of the  City of  Haines  as an  ex officio  member of  the                                                               
council."                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
KACI  SCHROEDER-HOTCH,  Staff   to  Representative  Bill  Thomas,                                                               
Alaska  State   Legislature,  presented  HB  378   on  behalf  of                                                               
Representative  Thomas, sponsor.    She relayed  that the  Alaska                                                               
Chilkat Bald  Eagle Preserve, located  along the  Haines Highway,                                                               
was created in 1982 to  protect the world's largest concentration                                                               
of bald eagles.  The preserve  is also home to several species of                                                               
salmon and  other wildlife.   She  said in  order to  protect the                                                               
preserve,  a 12-seat  advisory council  was created,  one of  the                                                               
seats  being designated  to  the  mayor of  the  City of  Haines.                                                               
However  the  Borough of  Haines  and  the  City of  Haines  have                                                               
consolidated, and  there is no longer  a mayor, thus the  seat is                                                               
vacant.  The proposed legislation  would designate that seat to a                                                               
member  of   the  [Haines]  Borough  Assembly   selected  by  the                                                               
assembly.  She said she is referring to Version S of the bill.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 1:18:31 PM to 1:20:56 PM.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RAMRAS moved to adopt  the proposed committee substitute                                                               
(CS)  for  HB  378,  Version 24-LS1486\S,  Kane,  4/19/06,  as  a                                                               
working  document.   There  being  no  objection, Version  S  was                                                               
before the committee.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
JERRY  LEWANSKI,   Director,  Division   of  Parks   and  Outdoor                                                               
Recreation, Department  of Natural Resources, stated  his support                                                               
of HB 378.   He said he considers the  legislation a housekeeping                                                               
bill to keep management of that [council] "intact and whole."                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:22:20 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KAPSNER moved  to  report CSHB  378, Version  24-                                                               
LS1486\S,  Kane,  4/19/06,  out   of  committee  with  individual                                                               
recommendations and  the accompanying fiscal notes.   There being                                                               
no  objection, [CSHB  378(RES)]  was reported  out  of the  House                                                               
Resources Standing Committee.