CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 76(FIN) am "An Act relating to the Big Game Commercial Services Board and to the regulation of big game hunting services and transportation services; and providing for an effective date." This was the first hearing for this bill in the Senate Finance Committee. HENRY WEBB, Staff to Representative Ralph Samuels, the bill's sponsor, explained that this bill would re-establish a Big Game Commercial Services Board within the Division of Occupational Licensing, Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development, to oversee the professional hunting and transporting industry. When the previous such Board terminated in the mid 1990s, its powers had been transferred to the Division. In the year 2003, both a Legislative Budget & Audit report, Audit Control Number 08- 30025-03, dated October 16, 2003 [copy on file] and a letter, dated March 18, 2003 [copy on file] from the Board of Game to Senate President Gene Therriault and House Speaker Pete Kott, pointed out many of the problems facing the industry. The Audit suggested that the Legislature re-establish the Board. While a similar bill had passed the Senate the previous Legislative Session, it had not progressed through the committee process of the House of Representatives. "Extensive work" has been conducted on this bill, which balances the concerns of the industry, the public, and the agencies that manage the resources. The majority of this 29-page bill relates to transferring the authority from the Division to the Board. 9:09:13 AM Mr. Webb stated that the differences in the bill before the Committee and the bill that passed the Senate the previous year would include increasing the membership of the Board from seven to nine members; requiring that the Board issue a license to someone who satisfied license requirements, and increasing the level of a fine that would have precluded an individual from being able to receive or renew a guide or transfer license for a violation of a hunting, guiding, or transporting statute or regulation that had been received in the previous twelve month period from $1,000 to$2,000. Co-Chair Wilken moved to adopt the committee substitute Version 24- LS0332\Y as the working document. There being no objection, the Version "Y" committee substitute was ADOPTED as the working document. Mr. Webb noted that one of the three differences between CS HB 76(FIN) am, Version 24-LS0332\F.A and the Version "Y" committee substitute is the elimination of the requirement that the Board must award a license at their next meeting. This change, which was suggested by the Division of Occupational Licensing, would provide some flexibility to the Board and the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. 9:12:01 AM Co-Chair Green understood therefore that the phrase "first meeting of the Board" had been eliminated from language in Version "Y", Sec. 4((a)(2) beginning on line four, page three, which reads as follows. (2) authorize the issuance of [ISSUE] registered guide- outfitter [GUIDE], class-A assistant guide, assistant guide, and transporter licenses after the applicant for the license satisfies the requirements of the license; New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] Mr. Webb affirmed. Mr. Webb continued that the second change that would be implemented by the Version "Y" committee substitute would be the inclusion of the phrase "an unsuspended fine" in Sec. 6(a)(1)(ii), (iii), and (iv), lines 23, 25, and 27 respectfully. This language was included at the suggestion of the Department of Public Safety. 9:12:39 AM Co-Chair Green asked whether the levels of the fines specified in those sections were new. Mr. Webb stated that the fine levels were included in the previous version of the bill, Version "F.A". Co-Chair Green clarified therefore that the inclusion of the term "unsuspended fine" was the issue at hand. Mr. Webb concurred. Mr. Webb stated that the third change included in Version "Y" was the expansion of some of the criteria that must be included in guide and transport contracts. The new language is included in Sec. 17(c) beginning on line 26, page 11 of the bill; specifically the language reflected on lines six through 19 on page 12. Mr. Webb stated that this criterion was not exclusive; the Board could develop additional criteria "as they deemed appropriate". 9:13:41 AM Co-Chair Green recalled that a vast amount of time had been spent discussing this legislation the previous year. To that point, she asked for confirmation that other than the language identified today, the remainder of the language mirrored that of the previous Session's bill. Mr. Webb affirmed. Senator Dyson asked permission to abstain from voting on the bill due to a conflict of interest. The bill would affect his business. Co-Chair Green overruled the request. Senator Dyson noted that while the bill might "make his life a little more miserable", he would probably vote in favor of it. 9:14:50 AM BOBBY FITHIAN, Representative, Alaska Professional Hunters Association, testified via teleconference from Anchorage and stated that this bill "is supported by every State, federal, or private entity that has any stewardship" involving such things as wildlife or wildlife resources. It would enhance "proper stewardship, accountability, and sustainability" to one of the State's "oldest and most recognized industries". A tremendous amount of discussion has transpired in regards to this issue, and he appreciated the Committee's attention to the bill. RICK THOMPSON, Resource Manager, Department of Natural Resources, testified via teleconference from Anchorage, to notify the Committee of the Department's support of the bill. Co-Chair Wilken moved to report the committee substitute from Committee with individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objections, SCS CS HB 76 (FIN) was REPORTED from Committee with zero Fiscal Note #1, dated February 4, 2005 from the Department of Fish and Game, zero Fiscal Note #2, dated February 4, 2005 from the Department of Public Safety, zero Fiscal Note #4, dated February 11, 2005 from the Department of Natural Resources, and $20,000 Fiscal Note #5, dated February 11, 2005 from the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. 9:18:02 AM AT EASE: 9:18:08 AM / 9:18:30 AM