03/02/2020 03:30 PM Senate RESOURCES

          SB 159-SALT WATER FISHING: OPERATORS/GUIDES                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
4:47:51 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MICCICHE announced  that the final order  of business would                                                               
be SENATE  BILL NO.  159, "An  Act relating  to salt  water sport                                                               
fishing  operators  and  salt water  sport  fishing  guides;  and                                                               
providing for an effective date."                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
He  said  he  had  not received  amendments  since  the  previous                                                               
hearing on February 28, 2020  but he was considering amending the                                                               
bill based on an earlier discussion  of a situation where a guide                                                               
could not  determine whether  someone was  telling the  truth. He                                                               
asked how  the department will  handle a future situation  when a                                                               
guide receives false information or a false report.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
4:49:09 PM                                                                                                                    
TOM  TAUBE, Deputy  Director, Division  of Sport  Fishing, Alaska                                                               
Department  of Fish  and Game,  Juneau, Alaska,  stated that  the                                                               
Division of Parks & Outdoor  Recreation cited the case that Chair                                                               
Micciche referenced. Since the citation  was issued, the Division                                                               
of Alaska  Wildlife Troopers has  spoken with enforcement  at the                                                               
Division of  Parks & Outdoor  Recreation and requested  that they                                                               
only enforce the regulations of the Department of Fish and Game.                                                                
                                                                                                                                
He specified that the State will  not hold a guide responsible if                                                               
a  parent of  a client  provides false  information on  a minor's                                                               
age. A guide  may ask what an individual's age  is, but the State                                                               
does not require the guide to verify age via birth certificate.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
He  said the  Division  of  Sport Fishing  believes  that it  has                                                               
addressed  the guiding  concerns.  Future communications  between                                                               
the  different departments  will address  enforcement beyond  the                                                               
expected regulatory language.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MICCICHE  explained that  the issue  occurred on  the Kenai                                                               
Peninsula where wildlife enforcement  asked Kenai River guides to                                                               
require  more  identification  than the  Transportation  Security                                                               
Administration  (TSA)  required  for individuals  traveling  with                                                               
their children.  He said  he was pleased  with the  resolution of                                                               
the issue. He  asked if consideration had been  given to changing                                                               
the regulation and not the statute.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
MR. TAUBE  answered not at  this time. He said  his conversations                                                               
with Alaska  Wildlife Troopers confirmed that  having discussions                                                               
on an annual  basis with the different entities  will resolve the                                                               
situation.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR MICCICHE stated satisfaction with the reply.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
4:51:45 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MICCICHE announced that public testimony is open.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
4:51:58 PM                                                                                                                    
FORREST  BRADEN, member,  Southeast  Alaska Guides  Organization,                                                               
Juneau, Alaska,  testified in support  of SB 159. He  said asking                                                               
the industry  to bear  the burden for  the cost  of administering                                                               
the program seems  fair and reasonable. The bill  is cost neutral                                                               
to the State and the department.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
4:54:12 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR MICCICHE closed public testimony  and solicited the will of                                                               
the committee..                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
4:54:20 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  COGHILL moved  to report  SB  159, version  31-GS2192\A,                                                               
from  committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  attached                                                               
fiscal notes.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
4:54:30 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  MICCICHE  found  no  objection;   therefore,  SB  159  was                                                               
reported from the Senate Resources Standing Committee.