Legislature(2005 - 2006)CAPITOL 124

04/10/2006 01:00 PM House RESOURCES


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* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
-- Meeting Postponed to 1:30 PM Today--
+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled TELECONFERENCED
= HB 304 COMMERCIAL FISHING LOAN PROGRAM
Moved CSHB 304(RES) Out of Committee
= HB 464 WANTON WASTE OF BIG GAME
Moved CSHB 464(RES) Out of Committee
HB 464-WANTON WASTE OF BIG GAME                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RAMRAS announced that the  final order of business would                                                               
be HOUSE BILL NO. 464, "An  Act relating to the possession of the                                                               
edible meat of big game animals."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  ERIC CROFT,  Alaska  State Legislature,  Sponsor,                                                               
suggested adopting  Version L, which provides  the most deference                                                               
to the Board of Game in regulating wanton waste of big game.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CRAWFORD  moved to adopt the  committee substitute                                                               
(CS)  for  HB 464,  24-LS1258\L,  Kane,  4/5/06, as  the  working                                                               
document.    Hearing no  objections,  Version  L was  before  the                                                               
committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:32:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RON SOMERVILLE, Vice Chair, Board  of Game, said the bill attacks                                                               
a major problem  in the state, and  he noted that at  a the Board                                                               
of Game meeting  in Kotzebue residents expressed  strong views on                                                               
the wanton waste  of game by sport hunters.   He spoke of support                                                               
for regulating  transporters to  abide by  standards and  laws or                                                               
lose privileges, an effort which has  begun in one unit, but only                                                               
by providing  information.   He said  Representative Croft  has a                                                               
novel idea in  HB 464, and it would give  the board another tool,                                                               
but making  it statewide would  create an  enforcement nightmare.                                                               
The  bill is  pointed directly  at trophy  hunting, but  it could                                                               
affect others "who may not qualify for a Boone and Crocket."                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
2:36:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  SOMERVILLE  said the  board  should  look favorably  at  the                                                               
legislation.   He said  page 1,  line 6,  is consistent  with the                                                               
sponsor's intent,  but he  suggested inserting  "minimum" between                                                               
"the" and "salvage".                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
2:38:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked for a definition of big game.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR.  SOMERVILLE said  the board  has the  authority to  establish                                                               
that definition if there is any question about it.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO noted the language  pertaining to the trophy                                                               
of  an  animal   that  "that  person  killed."     He  asked  the                                                               
consequences of  someone else killing  the animal.   He suggested                                                               
rewording the bill to say it doesn't matter who killed it.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
2:41:34 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON  said the person who  gets legal possession                                                               
of the horns is the hunter.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MATT  ROBUS, Director,  Wildlife Conservation,  Alaska Department                                                               
of Fish & Game, said  someone carrying around someone else's meat                                                               
would need a note from the  hunter, "otherwise you already have a                                                               
legal problem."                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO said he wants the bill to be bullet-proof.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:44:07 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. SOMERVILLE  said a person  who does not lawfully  possess the                                                               
animal cannot transfer it, and he thinks the language is fine.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
ROD ARNO,  Alaska Outdoor Council, said  he is a big  game guide.                                                               
He thanked  Representative Croft for  introducing HB 464,  but he                                                               
said it is  an enforcement issue, and wildlife  enforcement is on                                                               
the  decline.    He  noted   that  were  118  fish  and  wildlife                                                               
protection  officers  25  years   ago  when  there  were  500,000                                                               
Alaskans; now  there are  only 84 officers  with a  population of                                                               
over 650,000 residents.   He spoke of the lack  of enforcement in                                                               
the  field, "nor  do we  have the  wildlife investigation  bureau                                                               
spending their  time to  pursue the complaints."   Air  taxis and                                                               
others  are  aware  that  prosecutions  aren't  taking  place  so                                                               
violations of the  wanton waste laws are increasing,  and he said                                                               
the problem is Section 16.30.017.   "The three defenses they have                                                               
there, they're not even applicable."   He said a stolen animal is                                                               
likely regulated elsewhere  [in statute].  The  second defense of                                                               
weather  and acts  of  god  causing loss  of  meat  is no  longer                                                               
appropriate  because of  satellite phones  and other  technology;                                                               
"it is the  hunter's choice whether or not that  game is lost due                                                               
to  weather."   He  said  with electric  fences,  the defense  of                                                               
losing meat to a wild animal "is the hunter's choice."                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:47:56 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RAMRAS noted that Version L is before the committee.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
MR.  ARNO  said   Version  L  will  "negate   what's  already  in                                                               
16.30.017, when if  you really wanted to correct  this problem of                                                               
wanton  waste  without  reducing  the  minimum  that  people  are                                                               
responsible for,  I think it'd be  better to go ahead  and delete                                                               
16.30.017, as opposed to creating another statute."                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
2:48:46 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CROFT said  he agrees it is  an enforcement issue,                                                               
and  the purpose  was to  give a  flexible tool  to the  Board of                                                               
Game, which  would have  "the ability  to adopt  regulations that                                                               
say, 'we  don't care about  an act  of god, these  minimums apply                                                               
regardless.'"  He said he  agrees with Mr. Arno, and "eliminating                                                               
the defenses  in regards to whether  or not you keep  your trophy                                                               
horns is one thing, eliminating  the defense from complete wanton                                                               
waste, where somebody really did get  stuck out for an extra week                                                               
and the penalties are jail or losing  a boat or losing a plane, I                                                               
just  wasn't comfortable  with.   So  I wanted  this medium  step                                                               
where we  would eliminate the  defenses."   He said bears  do eat                                                               
game, but it  probably happens a lot less than  claimed, and this                                                               
"middle ground" is  where getting rid of these  defenses could be                                                               
tested.   If a hunter  claims a bear or  an act of  god destroyed                                                               
the meat, "we  may not be able  to throw you in jail,  but we can                                                               
say  you just  don't get  to keep  the horns  no matter  what the                                                               
excuse."  The board would have that authority, he said.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
2:50:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON said he is  trying to understand Mr. Arno's                                                               
concern that Version  L doesn't eliminate the  defenses listed in                                                               
statute.  He  asked if the bill  will give the Board  of Game the                                                               
authority to make regulations or  if the statute will still allow                                                               
the same defenses.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
2:52:29 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CROFT said all the  defenses to wanton waste would                                                               
still apply  and the entire  structure is held, but  in addition,                                                               
the Board  of Game  may establish  a minimum  salvage requirement                                                               
applicable only to keeping the horns.   There are a lot of people                                                               
who  lie,  but  to  throw  the full  impact  of  a  wanton  waste                                                               
prosecution when  the truth is not  known, "I wasn't ready  to do                                                               
that."    The  forfeiture  of  the horns  is  a  lower  level  of                                                               
prosecution when it  is not practicable to prove  right or wrong.                                                               
If a hunters comes out of  the field with three caribou [antlers]                                                               
and one bag  of meat, "in this  state you just don't  get to keep                                                               
them."  It is not just out-of-state hunters, he noted.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
2:54:41 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE LEDOUX said she likes  the bill because it reminds                                                               
her of  the excuse of  "a dog eating  your homework; you  may not                                                               
get  expelled from  school, but  you  don't get  credit for  your                                                               
homework, and that is sort of what this bill is doing."                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON  asked if automatic forfeiture  would apply                                                               
to a person who doesn't have lawful possession.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CROFT said the hunter  has legal possession of the                                                               
trophy once  the animal is  shot.  So the  Board of Game  will be                                                               
authorized to determine that the  hunter does not have possession                                                               
until the meat is salvaged.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:56:28 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ELKINS asked about bears.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  CROFT  said he  considered  hides,  but the  main                                                               
problem is wasting the meat of big game animals.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
2:57:00 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RAMRAS said he wants  to makes sure that the misdemeanor                                                               
charge remains intact.  He asked about amendments.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON offered conceptual  Amendment 1 which would                                                               
insert "minimum" on  page 1, line 6, between the  words "the" and                                                               
"salvage".  Hearing no objections, Amendment 1 carried.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON offered Amendment  2, which was written and                                                               
presented by Mr. Somerville [original punctuation provided]:                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
        Sec. 2. AS 16.30.012 is amended by adding a new                                                                         
     subsection to read:                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
          (c) The Board of Game may adopt regulations for                                                                       
     specific areas of  the state setting, for  any big game                                                                    
     animal, the minimum amount of  edible meat that must be                                                                    
     possessed  by a  hunter  who possesses  the antlers  or                                                                    
     horns of the big game animal.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Hearing no objections, Amendment 2 carried.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
2:58:36 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RAMRAS  asked if, with these  amendments, Mr. Somerville                                                               
thinks the intent of the bill is adequately addressed.                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR. SOMERVILLE said  it does, and the sponsor can  speak to that.                                                               
He said  the bill  is meant  to reduce the  wanton waste  that is                                                               
currently not enforceable.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON  asked if the bill  should include language                                                               
specifying  that the  Board of  Game may  establish criteria  for                                                               
forfeiture  of horns.    He  doesn't think  the  bill gives  that                                                               
authority to the board or to ADF&G.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR. ROBUS suggested  asking a law enforcement  specialist, but he                                                               
stressed  that the  issue is  a huge  problem in  reality and  in                                                               
perception for the Alaskan bush.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:00:23 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON  said he would  like to offer  an amendment                                                               
along  those  lines,  and  he asked  who  would  establish  those                                                               
criteria, the department, the board, or the legislature.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MR.  ROBUS said  there  are other  departments  involved in  this                                                               
legislation, and he is unclear on how it should be done.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
3:01:18 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GATTO suggested  substituting  "legally taken  by                                                               
the hunter" on line 5, [to eliminate a loophole].                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
MR.  ROBUS said  the  language  clearly assigns  an  animal to  a                                                               
person who is  responsible for salvaging the meat,  but he warned                                                               
that he is not an attorney.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
3:02:31 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON offered conceptual Amendment 3 as follows:                                                                
                                                                                                                                
          The Board of Game may establish criteria for                                                                          
    forfeiture   of   horns    if   the   minimum   salvage                                                                     
     requirements are not met.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO objected.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE CROFT said Amendment 3 follows his intent.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. SOMERVILLE  said it  is a  good amendment  and noted  that an                                                               
animal not legally taken is owned by the State of Alaska.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  GATTO   asked  if   the  term   "minimum  salvage                                                               
requirement" is in regulation as a percentage of an animal.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MR. ROBUS  said the minimum  is different for  different species,                                                               
but there are regulatory definitions.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
3:05:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR RAMRAS noted that Amendment  2 should allow the board to                                                               
establish the minimum amount of edible meat in possession.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO removed his objection.                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
Seeing no further objections, conceptual Amendment 3 carried.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SEATON moved  to report  the CS  for HB  464, 24-                                                               
LS1258\L,  Kane,  4/5/06,  as  amended,  out  of  committee  with                                                               
individual  recommendations and  the  accompanying fiscal  notes.                                                               
Hearing no objections CSHB 464(RES) passed out of committee.                                                                    

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