02/23/1994 03:38 PM Senate RES

 SENATOR MILLER announced  HB 232  (BOW HUNTING STAMP & BOW HUNTING            
 SAFETY to be up for consideration.)  He said they would take a                
 recess at 3:50 p.m. and called the meeting back to order at 3:55              
 p.m.                                                                          
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE BUNDE, sponsor, explained that certain areas in                
 Alaska are reserved for bow hunting.  It is necessary to take a bow           
 hunting class to hunt in those areas.  Bow hunters support this               
 program physically and financially.  He said the fees would go to             
 support the bow hunter program.  He said a majority of bow hunters            
 support HB 232.                                                               
                                                                               
 Number 287                                                                    
                                                                               
 SENATOR ZHAROFF asked if this applied state-wide.  REPRESENTATIVE             
 BUNDE replied it applies in special archery seasons and areas.  He            
 was not aware of an archery area in Kodiak.                                   
                                                                               
 SENATOR ZHAROFF moved an effective date of January 1, 1995.  There            
 were no objections and it was so ordered.                                     
                                                                               
 GARRY CASON, Kenai Peninsula Archers, opposed HB 232 since it is              
 for bow hunting areas only.  He felt there were enough restrictions           
 on bow hunting now.  They feel that archery already pays for its              
 share of funding due to the Pitman-Robertson fund and there is an             
 11% excise tax on all archery equipment.                                      
                                                                               
 BILL CURTIS, Soldotna resident, opposed HB 232.  He was appalled at           
 the way it was presented to the archers of the state.                         
                                                                               
 DON POOLE, Soldotna resident, said he was against HB 232, because             
 it is an unnecessary expense.  He is concerned that the income                
 generated from this would be used as general fund money.  As                  
 President of the Alaskan Bow hunters, he said they are split on the           
 matter and are taking a neutral stance.                                       
                                                                               
 Number 334                                                                    
                                                                               
 KEN VORISEK, President, Golden North Archery Association, supported           
 HB 232.  He said a majority of the Bowhunters around the state have           
 voted to support HB 232.  The $7 archery tag would be mandatory               
 wherever you hunt with a bow and arrow.  The other part of the bill           
 mandates the state have a bow hunter education program.  The intent           
 of the bill was to fund that program.  The program is mandatory               
 where there is a bow hunting only area.                                       
                                                                               
 RICK SCHIKORA, Fairbanks resident, supported HB 232.  He thought it           
 might provide the possibility of additional bow hunting seasons and           
 areas.  After participating as an instructor in the IT&T program,             
 he was in favor of the bow hunting stamp.                                     
                                                                               
 DENNIS GOLDBACK, Fairbanks resident, opposed HB 232.  He said he              
 didn't see any financial gain from selling stamps the way the bill            
 is written.  He said he saw a lot of loop holes in it.                        
                                                                               
 HARRY LUSK, Fairbanks resident, said in North Carolina and South              
 Carolina there is a longer hunting season without the stamp, but              
 with a tag.  They also have "either sex days".  He said that                  
 archers expend a lot more energy to even stop game than rifle                 
 hunters do.  He said they should have more benefits than rifle                
 hunters.                                                                      
                                                                               
 Number 433                                                                    
                                                                               
 EDWARD RUSSELL, Anchorage resident, said he faxed his testimony               
 opposing HB 232.  He said that wildlife stamps serve no useful                
 purpose in the management of game in Alaska.  He said there is no             
 way the stamp can pay for printing, distribution, and some sort of            
 publicity campaign.  He didn't think bow hunters should be charged            
 a surtax for hunting which is what this is.                                   
                                                                               
 PHIL PRINGLE, Anchorage resident and bow hunter teacher, totally              
 opposed HB 232.  He didn't think the revenue generated would cover            
 the cost of implementing and maintaining the plan.  He said there             
 was already an education force in place.  He didn't think paying $7           
 was an issue.                                                                 
                                                                               
 GEORGE MOERLEIN, Anchorage resident and former Director of the                
 Alaska Bow Hunters Association, said HB 232 has no redeeming                  
 features for either the state or the bow hunting community.  He               
 said it is totally unfair to bow hunters.                                     
                                                                               
 Number 512                                                                    
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE BUNDE said bow hunters do have more opportunities to           
 hunt than rifle hunters.                                                      
                                                                               
 DAVE KELLEYHOUSE, Director, Division of Wildlife Conservation, said           
 the costs of administering the program would be proportional to how           
 many tags were sold.  The primary cost would be $1 per tag sold to            
 the vendor.  The other is 5% of the tag and the remainder would go            
 into the Fish and Game fund.  All vendor payments now are being               
 paid with Fish and Game funds.  He thought the program would be               
 revenue positive.                                                             
                                                                               
 SENATOR MILLER asked what if the legislation was amended to just              
 address bow hunting in those areas where there is only bow hunting.           
 MR. KELLEYHOUSE explained that most of the exclusive bow hunting              
 areas are around the urban areas.  He thought that most of the bow            
 hunters would take advantage of the special seasons so they didn't            
 have to compete with the rifle hunters at the same time.  It would            
 still be revenue positive because the cost of administering the               
 program would be proportional to the number of licenses sold.                 
 There would be a month of a clerk typist at the most.  The rest of            
 the costs are directly proportional to the number of tags sold.               
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE BUNDE explained an amendment to page 2, line 7 would           
 add "in a special bow hunting area or seasons" after "a person may            
 not engage in bow hunting".                                                   
                                                                               
 SENATOR LEMAN moved that language as an amendment.                            
                                                                               
 SENATOR ZHAROFF asked if it was necessary to put in "or season" if            
 you're going to have a special bow hunting area?  REPRESENTATIVE              
 BUNDE replied that he had hoped to have special bow hunting seasons           
 in the future.  For example on the Kenai Peninsula when they had a            
 prerifle season that was for archery.                                         
                                                                               
  TAPE 94-14, SIDE B                                                           
 Number 588                                                                    
                                                                               
  SENATOR MILLER asked if there were objections to the amendment.              
 There was some discussion and he announced they would send the bill           
 to the drafters and get it back as a CS and schedule it for action            
 on Monday.