CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 19(FIN) am "An Act relating to the registration of commercial vessels." 9:18:54 AM AT EASE 9:21:47 AM RECONVENED Co-Chair Olson asked the bill sponsor and her staff to introduce the legislation. REPRESENTATIVE LOUISE STUTES, SPONSOR, thanked the committee for hearing the bill. She explained that SB 92, the derelict vessels act of 2019, aimed to provide state and local municipalities with a searchable database containing details of vessels and ownership to allow them to locate derelict vessel owners; however, the database existed for commercial fishing vessels in the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC). The database was updated in real time and operators were required to register annually. The database was publicly accessible, and the information was provided under penalty of perjury. The information included the legal owner of the vessel and a contact person if it was not the same person as the applicant, a permanent and mailing address, social security number, phone numbers, date of birth, and email address. The bill would institute an $8 annual fee for documented CFEC registered vessels upon renewal and issuance of a license in lieu of the $24 fee vessel owners were required to pay to the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) every three years. Representative Stutes explained that the original intent of HB 19 was to exempt the owners of active commercial fishing vessels registered with the U.S. Coast Guard from duplicate registration created by the passage of SB 92. She explained that the duplicate registration included registering with CFEC and DMV. Following an adoption of a friendly amendment on the floor of the other body, the bill now removed the requirement for all U.S. Coast Guard documented vessels to register every three years with DMV. She explained that it removed Alaska's ability to monitor the vessels owned by individuals other than active fishermen registered with CFEC. Representative Stutes recommended and welcomed a CS that would remove the amendment language and return the bill to its original purpose to remove the duplicative requirement for active commercial fishermen. Since the passage of SB 92, the requirement had not been enforced by the Department of Public Safety (DPS), but if the bill did not pass in the current year, DPS would have no choice but to cite commercial fishermen who had not complied and would then be required to have duplicative stickers. She stated that Alaska's commercial fishing fleet was the backbone of one of the state's most vital industries and vessel owners should not be required to register every three years with DMV at an additional expense only to provide information that the state already had through the CFEC license renewal process. 9:25:43 AM DONNA FOX PAGE, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE LOUISE STUTES, recapped the details of the legislation. She explained that HB 19 would exempt owners of CFEC registered vessels from the requirement to register with DMV while still requiring annual state registration through CFEC and continued financial contributions towards a solution of the problem of derelict vessels as well as boating safety programs. She noted it was the change that occurred on the floor for which a CS would be recommended. The legislation satisfied the original intent of SB 92, which passed in 2018, without placing an additional burden on DMV or on hardworking fishermen. She relayed that no opposition had been encountered on the bill in past years and the sponsor's office had worked hard with stakeholders to ensure the bill provided an acceptable solution to the duplicative requirement. She thanked the committee for the opportunity to present the bill. She offered to review the sectional analysis. Co-Chair Olson noted that the committee would address the CS. Senator Kiehl MOVED to ADOPT the committee substitute for CSHB 19(FIN)am, Work Draft 33-LS0251\U (Ballard, 5/8/24). Co-Chair Olson OBJECTED for DISCUSSION. 9:27:43 AM KEN ALPER, STAFF, SENATOR DONNY OLSON, explained the CS. He stated that it returned the bill back to the version adopted on the House floor. Co-Chair Olson WITHDREW the OBJECTION. There being NO further OBJECTION, Work Draft 33-LS0251\U was ADOPTED. 9:29:25 AM AT EASE 9:31:32 AM RECONVENED CSHB 19(FIN)am was HEARD and HELD in committee for further consideration. 9:31:48 AM AT EASE 9:42:32 AM RECONVENED