HOUSE BILL NO. 125 "An Act relating to trapping cabins on state land; and relating to trapping cabin permit fees." 2:40:44 PM Co-Chair Foster asked the bills sponsor to provide a brief recap. 2:41:07 PM REPRESENTATIVE TOM MCKAY, SPONSOR, gave a brief summary of the bill. He thanked the committee for the prior discussion on the bill and asked for members support. He commented that the legislation provided common sense reform to the current statutes related to Trapping Cabin Construction Permits (TCCP). 2:41:57 PM TREVOR JEPSEN, STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE MCKAY, offered a PowerPoint Presentation titled "HB 125 Highlights" dated April 27, 2023 (copy on file). He turned t0 slide 2 titled Trapping Cabin Permit Process: Trapping cabin permits currently issued under two statutes: AS 38.95.075 Permits for the Use of Trapping Cabins AS 38.95.080 Trapping Cabin Construction Permits Statutes create unnecessary confusion in permitting process and restricts DNR from permitting cabins under certain scenarios. Mr. Jepsen elaborated that the bill combined both authorization types under one statute. He discussed slide 3 titled AS 38.95.075 Permits for the Use of Trapping Cabins: AS 38.95.075 states how the DNR issues permits for cabins that already exist. Issue arises with cabins that have lapsed in ownership/use or have been abandoned. DNR unable to issues new trapping cabin permits in these scenarios. Mr. Jepsen continued that under the current statute, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) was unable to permit many existing cabins on state land due to the restrictive language of AS 38.95.075, which required proof of use of an existing cabin prior to August 1, 1984. He moved to slide 4 titled AS 38.95.080 Trapping Cabin Construction Permits: AS 38.95.080 authorizes the DNR issues permits for the construction of new trapping cabins. 1. The person must have an established trapline with proof of regular use; 2. The person must have a trapline of sufficient length to justify the need for cabin construction. 38.95.080 also outlines responsibilities of the department and additional requirements and restrictions for trapping cabin construction permits. Mr. Jepsen delineated that the bill combined both authorization types under one statute providing more consistency and clarity. He reviewed slide 5 titled HB 125 Highlights: HB 125 revises AS 38.95.080 (Trapping Cabin Construction Permits) to include all trapping cabin permit situations and repeals AS 38.95.075 (Permits for the Use of Trapping Cabins) Allows the DNR to permit existing cabins on state lands. Updates application fee schedule and sets all related fees in statute. Provides further clarity than current statute for issuing trapping cabin permits. HB 125 was the result of the House Resources Committee working with DNR and the Alaska Trappers Association. Mr. Jepsen pointed out that HB 125 allowed DNR to permit existing cabins on state lands for trapping if the applicant did not build a cabin without permission and demonstrated that they actively used a trapline that necessitated the use of a cabin for safety purposes. He emphasized that the bill did not grant exclusive rights to existing cabins and the department could also issue multiple permits for the same cabin. The permits for existing and new cabins do not represent a disposal of interest or granted preference rights to a future lease or purchase of land. In addition, the cabins must solely be used for trapping activities, were for seasonal use only, and a permittee was prohibited from residing in a trapping cabin. The department may not impose additional land use fees. 2:44:36 PM Representative Josephson asked how many total cabins currently existed. MR. Jepsen answered that there were 83 active trapping cabins and believed that more existed. He deferred to DNR for further answer. 2:45:14 PM MEGAN HILLGARTNER, NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGER, DIVISION OF MINING, LAND AND WATER, DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES (via teleconference), responded that there were currently 83 permitted cabins and 12 were pre-statehood cabins. Representative Josephson asked how many would be grandfathered in under HB 125. Ms. Hillgartner asked what Representative Josephson meant by grandfathered. She wondered whether he meant how many cabins would be able to be permitted under the proposal. Representative Josephson responded in the affirmative and added that it was his understanding that additional cabins would be added that DNR was not aware of. Ms. Hillgartner responded that the 83 cabins were currently permitted. Currently, there was not a way to know how many trappers would want to use the existing cabins. Representative Josephson asked if the cabins were not available to a non-trapper for recreational use. Mr. Jepsen responded in the affirmative and noted that the trapper would also have to prove a specific set of criteria including proof of an existing trapline and that it necessitated use of a cabin. Co-Chair Foster moved to the discussion of the fiscal note. 2:47:55 PM Ms. Hillgartner reviewed the fiscal impact fiscal note FN1 (DNR). She pointed to the control code ggCOj prepared on 03/24/2023. She indicated that the bill revised AS 38.95.080 and repealed AS 38.95.075 that provided for the issuance of permits for the construction and use of trapping cabins on state land. The department currently charged a fee of $160 for an application and $240 for an annual trapping cabin authorization issued under AS 38.95.075 for an existing cabin. She delineated that the application fee is $400 and $10 for an annual fee and the use fee is set at $10 under AS 38.95.080 for the construction of new cabins. On average the department issues one authorization under AS 38.95.075 and nine authorizations under AS 38.95.080 annually. For authorizations under AS 38.95.080 the department collected all annual fees for the ten-year permit at once. She calculated that the revenue amounted to $4,900 per year. Under the proposed legislation, the application fee would be set at $100, and the annual use fee set at $25. The department expected some revenue loss resulting from the bill. However, the department supported the bill because it clarified the trapping cabin statutes. 2:50:12 PM Representative Josephson asked if in a typical year most of the 83 cabins were unused. Ms. Hillgartner answered that most of the trapping cabin permits were for the construction of new cabins. The current statute restricted the use of existing cabins by requiring proof of use prior to August 1, 1984. 2:51:28 PM Co-Chair Foster OPENED public testimony on HB 125. 2:52:01 PM PETER BUIST, SELF, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), shared his prior work and life experience. He testified in support of HB 125. He thanked the committee for hearing the bill. He felt that the bill was important to trappers in rural areas. He reported that many years ago, he helped craft the original trapper cabin bill and draft the original regulations. He thought the bill addressed many of the problems that had come up over the years and was a tribute to the collaborative efforts of legislators, trappers, and DNR. He believed that the bill reduced the administrative burden, reduced DNR trespass problems in rural areas, and kept the trapper cabin program viable. He urged the committee to support the bill. 2:53:59 PM Co-Chair Foster CLOSED public testimony. 2:54:22 PM Representative Cronk MOVED to report CS HB 125 (RES) out of Committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered. HB 125 was REPORTED out of committee with nine "do pass" recommendations and one amend recommendation and with one previously published fiscal impact note: FN1 (DNR). 2:55:03 PM Representative McKay thanked the committee for its consideration. 2:55:43 PM AT EASE 3:01:11 PM RECONVENED