Legislature(1993 - 1994)

01/25/1994 03:00 PM House L&C

Audio Topic
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
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                    HOUSE LABOR AND COMMERCE                                   
                       STANDING COMMITTEE                                      
                        January 25, 1994                                       
                            3:00 p.m.                                          
                                                                               
                                                                               
  MEMBERS PRESENT                                                              
                                                                               
  Rep. Bill Hudson, Chairman                                                   
  Rep. Joe Green, Vice Chair                                                   
  Rep. Brian Porter                                                            
  Rep. Bill Williams                                                           
  Rep. Eldon Mulder                                                            
  Rep. Joe Sitton                                                              
  Rep. Jerry Mackie                                                            
                                                                               
  MEMBERS ABSENT                                                               
                                                                               
  None                                                                         
                                                                               
  COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                           
                                                                               
  *HB 266:  "An Act relating to guide-outfitter and master                     
            guide-outfitter licenses; extending the                            
            termination date of the Big Game Commercial                        
            Services Board; and providing for an effective                     
            date."                                                             
                                                                               
            MOVED FROM COMMITTEE                                               
                                                                               
  WITNESS REGISTER                                                             
                                                                               
  MIKE HEIMBUCK, STAFF                                                         
  Rep. Gail Phillips                                                           
  Alaska State Legislature                                                     
  State Capitol                                                                
  Juneau, Alaska  99801-1182                                                   
  465-2689                                                                     
  Position Statement:  Read Sponsor statement, answered                        
                       questions                                               
                                                                               
  PAUL JOHNSON                                                                 
  Big Game Commercial Service Board                                            
  P.O. Box 261                                                                 
  Auke Bay, Alaska  99821                                                      
  Position Statement:  Spoke in support of HB 266                              
                                                                               
  JOE KLETZ                                                                    
  Alaska Professional Hunters Association                                      
  P.O. Box 313                                                                 
  King Salmon, Alaska  99613                                                   
  Position Statement:  Spoke in support of HB 266                              
                                                                               
  KARL LUCK, Director                                                          
  Division of Occupational Licensing                                           
  Department of Commerce and Economic Development                              
  P.O. Box 110806                                                              
  Juneau, Alaska  99811-0806                                                   
  Phone:  465-2534                                                             
  Position Statement:  Testified on HB 266                                     
                                                                               
  DICK ROHRER                                                                  
  P.O. Box 2219                                                                
  Kodiak, Alaska  99615                                                        
  Phone:  486-5835                                                             
  Position Statement:  Spoke in support of HB 266                              
                                                                               
  ERIC STIRRUP                                                                 
  P.O. Box 4123                                                                
  Kodiak, Alaska  99615                                                        
  Phone:  486-2200                                                             
  Position Statement:  Spoke in support of HB 266                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  PREVIOUS ACTION                                                              
                                                                               
  BILL:  HB 266                                                                
  SHORT TITLE: ELIGIBILITY FOR GUIDE-OUTFITTER LICENSE                         
  SPONSOR(S): REPRESENTATIVE(S) PHILLIPS                                       
                                                                               
  JRN-DATE    JRN-PG                     ACTION                                
  04/20/83              (H)   L&C AT 03:00 PM CAPITOL 17                       
  03/30/93       854    (H)   READ THE FIRST TIME/REFERRAL(S)                  
  03/30/93       854    (H)   L&C, RESOURCES, FINANCE                          
  04/15/93              (H)   L&C AT 03:00 PM CAPITOL 17                       
  04/20/93              (H)   L&C AT 03:00 PM CAPITOL 17                       
  01/25/94              (H)   L&C AT 03:00 PM CAPITOL 17                       
                                                                               
                                                                               
  ACTION NARRATIVE                                                             
                                                                               
  TAPE 94-3, SIDE A                                                            
  Number 001                                                                   
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN HUDSON called the meeting to order at 3:06 p.m.                     
  HB 266 - ELIGIBILITY FOR GUIDE-OUTFITTER LICENSE                             
                                                                               
  Number 015                                                                   
                                                                               
  MIKE HEIMBUCK, Staff, Rep. Gail Phillips, prime sponsor of                   
  HB 266, read a sponsor statement for the record.  Mr.                        
  Heimbuck noted that HB 266 seeks to accomplish three things:                 
  to extend the big game commercial services board's statutory                 
  authority to June 30, 1997; grant the board some authority                   
  to upgrade standards in the guiding profession; and to re-                   
  enact and define the "master guide" license.                                 
                                                                               
  Number 100                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. MULDER asked if Section 2 closes the pool of guides for                 
  certain species in effect since the only way to get a                        
  license is to have guided for those particular species and                   
  you can't guide for them without a license.                                  
                                                                               
  Number 110                                                                   
                                                                               
  MR. HEIMBUCK answered that the amendment seeks to give the                   
  board the authority to make regulations that aren't spelled                  
  out in statute.  It gives the board the authority to make                    
  adjustments when the conditions warrant it.                                  
                                                                               
  Number 120                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. MULDER restated his concern over whether or not this                    
  legislation would make it more difficult to become a guide.                  
                                                                               
  Number 125                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. MACKIE voiced the same concern as Rep. Mulder and added                 
  that currently there are no licensed guides on Prince of                     
  Wales Island.                                                                
                                                                               
  Number 147                                                                   
                                                                               
  PAUL JOHNSON, Chairman, Big Game Commercial Services Board,                  
  responded to Reps. Mulder and Mackie's concerns by saying                    
  that presently you can apprentice under any licensed guide                   
  and then test for a license in any unit.  It does not have                   
  to be in the unit you apprenticed in.  He added that Unit 2,                 
  Prince of Wales, is primed for new guides.                                   
                                                                               
  Number 218                                                                   
                                                                               
  REP. MACKIE again brought up the point that since there are                  
  no local guides in the Prince of Wales unit, a person who                    
  wanted to become a guide in that area would have to move to                  
  another unit to apprentice.  Rep. Mackie added that having                   
  guides from outside the area having open opportunities and                   
  the local people basically shut out was a concern of his.                    
                                                                               
  Number 245                                                                   
                                                                               
  MR. JOHNSON stated that the board encourages opportunities                   
  for people in the rural areas and thinks it will eventually                  
  work out.  Mr. Johnson believes that the program in place is                 
  the best solution  at this time.  Mr. Johnson added that                     
  local people have the opportunity to guide in their own                      
  areas under the assistant guide program.                                     
                                                                               
  MR. JOHNSON stated that the number one priority of the board                 
  was encouraging rural development.                                           
                                                                               
  Number 281                                                                   
                                                                               
  JOE KLETZ, President, Alaska Professional Hunters                            
  Association and Alaska's Guide and Outfitters Association,                   
  testified in support of HB 266.  Mr. Kletz stated that the                   
  guiding and transporting industry in Alaska generate upwards                 
  of $100,000 million annually. Non-resident hunters account                   
  for between 10% and 15% of the annual harvest of big game                    
  animals.                                                                     
                                                                               
  MR. KLETZ gave an overview of the guiding and hunting                        
  industry.                                                                    
                                                                               
  Number 358                                                                   
                                                                               
  KARL LUCK, Director of Occupational Licensing, Department of                 
  Commerce and Economic Development, testified that neither                    
  the Division nor the Commissioner had any problems with HB
  266 as far as he know.                                                       
                                                                               
  Number 382                                                                   
                                                                               
  DICK ROHRER testified from Kodiak via teleconference in                      
  support of HB 266.                                                           
                                                                               
  Number 391                                                                   
                                                                               
  ERIC STIRRUP testified from Kodiak via teleconference in                     
  support of HB 266.                                                           
                                                                               
  REP. PORTER moved the amendments to HB 266.  No objections                   
  were heard; it was so ordered.                                               
                                                                               
  REP. GREEN moved HB 266 as amended with individual                           
  recommendations and fiscal note.  No objections were heard,                  
  it was so ordered.                                                           
                                                                               
  CHAIRMAN HUDSON adjourned the meeting at 3:30 p.m.                           

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