05/03/1997 08:10 AM House STA

 HJR 21 - REQUESTING CONGRESS TO AMEND ANILCA                                
                                                                               
 The first order of business to come before the House State Affairs            
 Standing Committee was HJR 21, Relating to amendment of Title VIII            
 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.                       
                                                                               
 Number 0035                                                                   
                                                                               
 CHAIR JEANNETTE JAMES explained she had been requested to move HJR
 to the House Rules Standing Committee.  She asked for a motion.            
                                                                               
 Number 0050                                                                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE MARK HODGINS moved that HJR 21 move from the                   
 committee with individual recommendations and the attached fiscal             
 note(s).                                                                      
                                                                               
 Number 0071                                                                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE KIM ELTON and REPRESENTATIVE ETHAN BERKOWITZ                   
 objected at the same time.                                                    
                                                                               
 Number 0115                                                                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ stated he was sorry that Representative              
 Ivan Ivan was not here because his views carried a lot of weight              
 with him on this issue.                                                       
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ further stated it was unfortunate that we            
 were proceding in this manner.  Senator Ted Stevens expressly                 
 indicated that the resolution complicated matters.  It was a                  
 mistake to fly in the face of his warning.  More work should have             
 been done when imposing a solution on a problem that required                 
 consensus to move forward, especially since the testimony indicated           
 this was highly contentious.  Ultimately, the state would have to             
 be united in its approach to the subsistence question.  "I don't              
 think HJR 21 unites, it divides."                                             
 Number 0205                                                                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE FRED DYSON stated he had been surprised at the                 
 vehement reaction to the resolution when to him it appeared to be             
 a good option to explore.  He had hoped that the resolution would             
 produce a lot more meaningful dialogue instead of the polarized               
 reactions.  "I don't think that it is going to be the solution as             
 Representative Berkowitz says until there is some buy in by all the           
 parties."  However, we have got to move because of the October 1,             
 1997 deadline.  He believed that there would be a draconian impact            
 on Alaska's subsistence of fish and game as a result of the take              
 over by the federal government.  He did not think that HJR 21 by              
 itself would solve the problem.  But, there were two other                    
 proposals that could be part of the solution.  Therefore, he agreed           
 to move the bill forward.  He did not want people to think that he            
 had caved in on his views.  The resolution was a good faith attempt           
 for a solution.  It was in no way meant to diminish the rights to             
 the use of Alaska's fish and game.                                            
                                                                               
 Number 0398                                                                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ELTON stated HJR 21 was a solution that favored one            
 wing of those affected.  The other solutions that Representative              
 Dyson referred to had yet to be heard.  House Joint Resolution 21             
 was the only solution moving forward.  He noted that there had been           
 two or three special sessions over the past seven years on the                
 issue of subsistence.  "I guess I think that this moving forward              
 with this bill is divisive.  I think it drives wedges between the             
 people who need to come toward the middle for a solution.  And, I             
 agree absolutely with Senator Ted Stevens about the impact of this            
 particular solution."  He objected to moving the resolution and to            
 moving it this late in the session.                                           
                                                                               
 Number 0554                                                                   
                                                                               
 CHAIR JAMES stated the solution to the issue would not be solved by           
 the legislature but by the public.  She would not say that HJR 21             
 was not needed, nor would she say that the language was not                   
 correct.  There were three components to the solution:  a                     
 resolution to be sent to Congress; a statute to be written in an              
 Alaskan way; and a constitutional amendment to be enacted that                
 would not violate the common use clause, and that would give                  
 similar protection and comfort as the Alaska National Interest                
 Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) gave.  She would move the                     
 resolution forward, but her recommendation would be amend rather              
 than do pass.                                                                 
                                                                               
 CHAIR JAMES called for a roll call vote.  Representatives James,              
 Dyson, Hodgins and Vezey voted in favor of the motion.                        
 Representatives Berkowitz and Elton voted against the motion.                 
 House Joint Resolution 21 was so moved from the House State Affairs           
 Standing Committee.