HB 49-CHINOOK RESEARCH & RESTORATION ENDOWMENT  10:12:59 AM CHAIR SEATON announced that the next order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 49, "An Act establishing the Alaska Chinook salmon research and restoration endowment fund and relating to grants from the fund." 10:13:39 AM REPRESENTATIVE HERRON moved to adopt the committee substitute (CS) for HB 49, Version 28-LS0143\N, as the working draft. With no objection Version N was before the committee. 10:14:22 AM ROB EARL, Staff to Representative Bob Herron, Alaska State Legislature, explained the changes represented in the CS, which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: Page 1, line 2: INSERT "providing for an effective date" Page 4, lines 7-20: Boundaries in (B) and (C) were redefined to move Kodiak and the entire Alaska Peninsula drainages that flow into Cook Inlet from the Southcentral region to the Southwest region. Page 5, lines 10-15: Adds language directing the Governor to appoint at least one Board member for each of the following Chinook salmon stock uses: subsistence, personal use, commercial harvest, and sport fishing. Page 5, lines 16-18: Adds language directing the Governor to take into consideration the recommendations of the fish advisory committees in which the board member resides. Page 5, lines 21-23: Except when awarding grants when all six public members must act unanimously as already provided in AS 37.14.680(b)(5), the board acts on majority vote. Page 7, line 27 thru Page 8, line 1: Provides for transition language so that grants can be awarded immediately rather than having to wait for the Fund to accrue a three year average, as is required in AS 37.14.660 (page 2 lines 16-23). Page 8, Line 2: Adds an effective date of July 1, 2013. 10:16:30 AM CHAIR SEATON asked if board members can participate in votes telephonically. MR. EARL answered yes, and pointed out that this change is part of Version N on page 5, lines 22 and 23. REPRESENTATIVE GATTIS asked whether the intent is that participation is limited exclusively to the use of a telephone. MR. EARL responded no. CHAIR SEATON stated the intent is to allow all possible means of electronic participation by members. REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON objected to accepting messages from a facsimile machine or email as an electronic form of communication. He specified "in-person electronic communications." REPRESENTATIVE FEIGE stressed the importance of having the identification of the member calling assured, as well as a reliable two-way communication. Precautions are necessary, he cautioned. REPRESENTATIVE GATTIS agreed. CHAIR SEATON clarified that the intent is to have positive identification and two-way communication that will allow members to participate and vote via electronic means. REPRESENTATIVE HERRON moved Conceptual Amendment 1, to wit: Insert language to define the parameters of telephonically to in-person and two-way communication by a person whose identity is confirmed. Without objection Conceptual Amendment 1 was adopted. CHAIR SEATON reopened public testimony on HB 49, as amended. 10:21:32 AM ART NELSON, Director, Policy and Outreach, Bering Sea Fishermen's Association, expressed his organization's unqualified support for HB 49, the CS and amendments, and urged passage. CHAIR SEATON, after ascertaining no one else wished to testify, closed public testimony. 10:23:45 AM REPRESENTATIVE FEIGE moved to report the CS for HB 49, 28- LS0143\N, as amended, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. Without objection CSHB 49(FSH) was reported from the House Special Committee on Fisheries. 10:24:23 AM The committee took an at-ease from 10:24 a.m. to 10:26 a.m.