SB 124-FISH & GAME LICENSING BY ELECTRONICS CHAIRMAN HALFORD announced SB 124 to be up for consideration. MR. GERON BRUCE, Department of Fish and Game, said the bill enables the ADF&G with the concurrence of the Department of Public Safety to set up an electronic licensing system using either the Internet or something like an 800 phone number which would allow people to purchase and directly be licensed at the time of purchasing. They would be issued a "smart number" which would have some information that would be correlated to some personal identification information like date of birth, eye color, etc. They expect that most licenses would still be sold through the current system of private vendors issuing a paper license. This would just add convenience for some people. They would also have to carry a photo i.d. in the field which you are not required to do with a paper license. CHAIRMAN HALFORD asked if this applied to the king salmon stamp or the State duck stamp. MR. BRUCE replied yes, that is their intention. Eventually, they would like to bring as many of their licenses, tags, and stamps, as possible on line. CHAIRMAN HALFORD asked how an enforcement officer on the Noatak would know whether someone has a sheet tag. Number 974 MR. BRUCE explained if you had a sheet tag, you would be issued a number at the time of purchase that would be equivalent to a license. It would be coded in such a way that a public safety officer would be able to have references to tell whether it had the proper coding required for the particular hunt. SENATOR GREEN said that a vendor came to her with the problem of someone getting a media license and then coming to his place to get all the rest of the documentation. He would not be able to collect a fee. MR. BRUCE replied that the situation under electronic licensing would not be different than it would be under current licensing. That is, if someone were to purchase a hunting license from one vendor and then decide they wanted to pick up a tag from another. He didn't think it was a significant concern; it wouldn't take revenue away from the vendor. He is providing a service that he doesn't have to. Usually the reason a vendor sells licenses is because it draws people into their store where they can sell them merchandise or other services. SENATOR GREEN asked on what item the bulk of money is made. CHAIRMAN HALFORD answered "non-resident tags." SENATOR GREEN asked what the fee was for the license. MR. BRUCE answered that he thought it was $85 for a hunting license for a non-resident. He thought a vendor got a percentage - about 5% and additional compensation later in the form of a flat amount or a flat amount per license if it's over the minimum amount. SENATOR TAYLOR asked how they are going to do all of the stamps and licenses electronically since there are so many and the stamps come out later in the spring. MR. BRUCE replied when you purchase the state stamp, you don't need an additional federal stamp. SENATOR TAYLOR said, "Oh yeah, you do. It's called a federal duck stamp." There are two different stamps; one of them you buy at the U.S. Post Office and the other is from the State. He asked how a guide or charter boat captain would be able to verify licensure. MR. BRUCE said he didn't know and would find out for him. There would have to be a picture i.d. which would be linked to the smart number so it would indicate the license you held was actually issued to the individual that the picture i.d. indicates you are. SENATOR TAYLOR asked how they get a verification of signature. MR. BRUCE replied, similar to other kinds of electronic commerce, when you purchase it, you would assent to the statement that the information you have provided is accurate and truthful. There would be an enforceable mechanism. A vendor would have a list of the codes. The Department anticipates contracting with a private party to do an 800 number and possibly the Internet licensing, itself. He explained how simple the number system would be. CHAIRMAN HALFORD was concerned that the number would be simple enough for someone to figure out. MR. BRUCE said there would be 10 numbers and what some of them signify would be known to everyone, but some numbers would be known only to Public Safety. CHAIRMAN HALFORD said he didn't think there were enough votes to move SB 124 right now and held it.