Legislature(2007 - 2008)BUTROVICH 205
04/11/2008 08:30 AM Senate RESOURCES
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SB306 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | SB 306 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
SENATE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE
April 11, 2008
8:36 a.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Senator Charlie Huggins, Chair
Senator Bert Stedman, Vice Chair
Senator Lyda Green
Senator Gary Stevens
Senator Bill Wielechowski
MEMBERS ABSENT
Senator Lesil McGuire
Senator Thomas Wagoner
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
SENATE BILL NO. 306
"An Act relating to the adoption of conservation, development,
and utilization regulations by the Board of Game to address
concerns relating to public assets."
MOVED SB 306 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: SB 306
SHORT TITLE: BOARD OF GAME REGULATIONS
SPONSOR(s): RESOURCES
03/21/08 (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/21/08 (S) RES
03/24/08 (S) RES AT 3:30 PM BUTROVICH 205
03/24/08 (S) Scheduled But Not Heard
WITNESS REGISTER
SHARON LONG
Staff to Senator Huggins
Alaska State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
POSITION STATEMENT: Commented on SB 306.
KEVIN SAXBY
Department of Law (DOL)
Anchorage AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions on SB 306.
SCOTT OGAN, representing himself
Eagle River AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 306.
GREG ROCZICKA, representing himself
Bethel AK
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported SB 306.
ACTION NARRATIVE
CHAIR CHARLIE HUGGINS called the Senate Resources Standing
Committee meeting to order at 8:36:58 AM. Present at the call to
order were Senators Green, Stevens, Stedman and Huggins.
SB 306-BOARD OF GAME REGULATIONS
8:37:30 AM
CHAIR HUGGINS announced SB 306 to be up for consideration. He
said this measure empowers the Alaska Department of Fish and
Game (ADF&G) to more efficiently manage game.
SHARON LONG, staff to Senator Huggins, presented the sponsor
statement as follows:
For those of us who live in Alaska, one of the wonders
we enjoy is our wildlife. Our state biologists are
charged with the challenging job of managing this
resource and today the constitutional mandate for
abundance management has been an continues to be a
high profile priority.
The efforts of the Board of Game and the wildlife
biologists are not always popular when protecting our
most valuable renewable resources. Wild game
represents many things to many people - be it
commercial guiding, hunting or simply viewing
wildlife. Alaska is unique and every Alaskan and
visitor enjoys the gift of this resource.
The problem that we face is that we have not allowed
our Board of Game to manage the resources and allocate
it for what it actually is - and asset. SB 306 will
accomplish that by inserting those important words
into statute. The language makes it clear to others
that it is our asset and we will manage for abundance
as promised in the Alaska Constitution.
CHAIR HUGGINS asked Mr. Saxby to explain the background on this
bill.
8:40:28 AM
KEVIN SAXBY, Department of Law (DOL), said the sponsors wanted
to make a clear statement in the law about the nature of the
action that the Board of Game takes when it regulates in the
hopes that would provide some guidance to the public and the
lieutenant governor in the future when wildlife related
initiatives are filed.
8:41:40 AM
SCOTT OGAN, representing himself, said this bill doesn't change
existing laws on initiatives, but it will return control of
Alaska's game management to the preferential use of Alaskans by
Alaskans and for Alaskans without outside special interest
influences. He said that the game populations in Alaska are
absolutely crashing right now
8:43:00 AM
GREG ROCZICKA, representing himself, Bethel, said he was a
director of the Natural Resource Program for the Federal Council
and spent the last 20 years dealing with resource management
issues. He was also a member of the Board of Game for two terms
and was here today to support SB 306. He said that Bush Alaska
has been a major victim and has actually suffered more than
other Alaskans from the initiatives in the past years.
8:44:02 AM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI joined the committee.
CHAIR HUGGINS noted a letter from the Association of Village
Council Presidents in support of SB 306.
8:46:00 AM
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI remarked that he had heard this bill
potentially blocks the ability to have issues decided on an
initiative and asked if that was true.
8:46:33 AM
MR. SAXBY responded that the intent behind SB 306 was to make a
statement that the lieutenant governor will be able to take this
into account when deciding whether some kinds of initiatives
should go on the ballot.
SENATOR WIELECHOWSKI asked if legislative legal had commented on
whether or not a state statute could limit a constitutional
right bring issues forward on an initiative.
MR. SAXBY replied there had been a fair amount of discussion
with legislative legal counsel on this bill, but he didn't
remember that specific topic coming up.
8:47:40 AM
SENATOR GREEN moved to report SB 306 from committee with
individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). There
were no objections and it was so ordered.
There being no further business to come before the committee,
Chair Huggins adjourned the meeting at 8:48:08 AM.
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