HOUSE BILL NO. 31 "An Act relating to the registration of commercial vessels; and relating to the derelict vessel prevention program fund." 3:40:24 PM REPRESENTATIVE LOUISE STUTES, SPONSOR, reviewed the bill with prepared remarks: Before you is House Bill 31 "An Act relating to the registration of commercial vessels; and relating to the derelict vessel prevention program fund." Most of you are likely familiar with this bill, as it passed both bodies last session but was subsequently vetoed due to constitutional concerns of it passing after midnight on the final night of session. We are back and hoping for some better timing this year. This legislation contains the same language that the House concurred with last session. House Bill 31 would remove duplicative registration requirements created by the passage of SB 92, "the derelict vessel bill," in 2018. Specifically, HB 31 would remove the requirement for U.S. Coast Guard documented vessels with a current Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission license to register every three years with the Division of Motor Vehicles. Prior to the passage of SB 92 in 2018, documented vessels were exempt from DMV registration; however, that exemption was repealed in the bill and as a result, larger vessels fell under the DMV's purview. The rationale behind SB 92 was to provide the State and local municipalities with a state database on who owns and operates vessels in Alaskan waters, as well as how to contact those individuals; overlooked, however, was the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission's database, or CFEC as I will refer to it from here on out. Vessel licensure with the CFEC already requires annual renewal and provides the necessary ownership information in a publicly accessible, state-maintained database. It is our intent that active commercial vessels should not be required to register every three years with the DMV only to provide information that the State already has through the vessel's annual license renewal process. Additionally, in its current form, HB 31 repeals the Derelict Vessel Prevention Program Fund, created in SB92, and transfers the balance of the fund to the general fund. It also repeals duties and powers of the department related to expenditures out of the fund and establishing the program. 3:44:16 PM Representative Tomaszewski asked if it was essentially the same bill as was passed the previous year. Representative Stutes agreed it was exactly the same. MATT GRUENING, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE LOUISE STUTES, noted there were individuals online to address the fiscal note. GLENN HAIGHT, COMMISSIONER, COMMERCIAL FISHERIES ENTRY COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME, stated there was a zero fiscal note, OMB component 471. KATHLEEN WALLACE, ACTING DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES, DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION (via teleconference), reviewed fiscal note 2348. SALLY COX, LOCAL GOVERNMENT SPECIALIST, DIVISION OF COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (via teleconference), noted there were zero fiscal notes. 3:48:00 PM ARRON TIMIAN, NATURAL RESOURCE SPECIALIST, DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES (via teleconference), reviewed the DNR fiscal note OMB component 3002. Representative Johnson thought they should move the bill. 3:50:22 PM AT EASE 3:52:13 PM RECONVENED Representative Bynum MOVED to REPORT HB 31 out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being NO OBJECTION, HB 31 was REPORTED out of committee with eight "do pass" recommendations and three "no recommendation" recommendations and with one new zero impact fiscal note from the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development; two previously published zero fiscal notes: FN1 (DFG) and FN3 (DNR); and one previously published fiscal impact note: FN2 (ADM). Representative Stutes thanked the committee.