SB 184-EXTEND FISHERY RESOURCE LAND. TAX CREDIT  3:45:49 PM CHAIR MICCICHE announced that the first order of business would be SENATE BILL NO. 184, "An Act extending the fishery resource landing tax credit for certain taxpayers that harvest fishery resources under the provisions of a community development quota; providing for an effective date by amending the effective date of sec. 36, ch. 61, SLA 2014; and providing for an effective date." 3:46:30 PM SETH BEAVER, Staff, Senator Donny Olson, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, stated that SB 184 would extend the termination date for the fishery resource landing tax credit for 10 years. The taxpayer contributions through the program are directed towards nonprofit corporations incorporated within the state for scholarships for study within the state, fisheries management training within the state, seafood industry employment, and capital contributions in the form of loans to construct or improve seafood transportation facilities such as docks. CHAIR MICCICHE noted that he was not aware of any opposition to SB 184. 3:47:40 PM DENISE LICCIOLI, Staff, Senator Donny Olson, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, said the sponsor sends his regrets for not attending the bill hearing due to illness. MR. BEAVER summarized that SB 184 would extend the fishery resource landing tax credit termination date to December 31, 2030. 3:48:02 PM CHAIR MICCICHE opened public testimony. 3:48:34 PM NORMAN VAN VACTOR, Chief Executive Officer, Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation, Dillingham, Alaska, testified in support of SB 184. He said the fishery resource landing tax credit has served the Bristol Bay region and the State of Alaska exceptionally well. 3:49:01 PM ANGEL DROBNICA, Director of Fisheries and Government Affairs, Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association, Juneau, Alaska, testified in support of SB 184. She said the Aleutian Pribilof Island Community Development Association (APICDA) is one of the six groups in the Community Development Quota (CDQ) Program. The CDQ Program has provided very important sources of revenue for the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands region that helps support the mission of APICDA. MS. DROBNICA detailed that APICDA has received approximately $600,000 in tax credit funds over the past 5 years. APICDA has expended funds on the statutorily allowable categories including training in the state for employment in the seafood industry and making capital contributions to fisheries processing facilities. 3:50:21 PM RICK WALICKI, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer, Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska, testified in support of SB 184. He said the Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation (NSEDC) is one of the CDQ groups. They work with the Norton Sound Fund to spend tax credit funds on fisheries research and employment training for the Norton Sound region. He said they would like that to continue. 3:51:00 PM GERALD DAVIS, General Counsel, Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association, Anchorage, Alaska, testified in support of SB 184. He said the Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association (YDFDA) is one of the six CDQ groups. He said YDFDA fully utilizes all aspects of the fishery resource landing tax credit. They use approximately $100,000 a year from the tax credit to directly pay for all aspects of in-season fish testing on the Lower Yukon by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). YDFDA will do even more in 2020 because ADF&G was reevaluating their efforts and the association would likely be picking up the scale sampling for the department. YDFDA uses the tax credit money without offsets, without administration fees, and directly pays the fisheries monitoring work on the Lower Yukon River. 3:52:03 PM HEATHER MCCARTY, Consultant, Central Bering Sea Fishermen's Association, Juneau, Alaska, testified in support of SB 184. She said the Central Bering Sea Fishermen's Association (CBSFA) represents St. Paul in the Pribilof Islands as one of the six CDQ groups. The funds that CBSFA has received and expended under the tax credit program have helped the association support several important scientific undertakings that have directly benefited both community fishermen and the marine resources that the region depends on, notably halibut and crab. CBSFA has supported funding for studies for the International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) regarding the affective water temperature on halibut movement, whale degradation, and blue king crab restoration for the Pribilof Islands. CBSFA could not have funded the important studies without the tax credit funds. 3:53:06 PM CHAIR MICCICHE closed public testimony. 3:53:28 PM SENATOR COGHILL moved to report SB 184, work order 31-LS1539\A, from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note. 3:53:36 PM CHAIR MICCICHE found no objection and SB 184 was reported from the Senate Resources Standing Committee.