HJR 10-NAT'L PARK SERVICE; HUNTING IN PRESERVES  3:43:28 PM CO-CHAIR BISHOP announced the consideration of HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 10 Disapproving the proposed rule by the National Park Service limiting non-subsistence hunting methods; and urging the National Park Service to withdraw the rule. CO-CHAIR BISHOP noted that HJR 10 was the companion to SJR 8 that the committee heard on 3/20/23. He invited Representative Cronk to introduce the legislation. 3:44:06 PM REPRESENTATIVE MIKE CRONK, District 36, Alaska State Legislature, Juneau, Alaska, sponsor of HJR 10, stated that this resolution lays out the history of Alaska's right to manage its fish and wildlife resources, including the most recent erosion of those rights. HJR 10 expresses strong objection to the National Park Service prohibition of long-standing hunting practices that are allowed under state law. He opined that regardless of differing opinions on management practices, there should be no disagreement about the state's right to manage its own fish and wildlife resources. 3:45:08 PM At ease 3:45:15 PM CO-CHAIR BISHOP reconvened the meeting and opened public testimony on HJR 10. 3:45:29 PM NANCY BALE, representing self, Anchorage, Alaska, testified in opposition to HJR 10. She relayed that she and her husband built their cabin in the Bush and lived there for 20 years. They were among the last Alaskans to obtain their land under the Homestead Act. Based on her experience, she supports the proposed National Park Service rule for preserves and believes it is fair. She asked the committee to consider what she believes would happen under the rule. 1) The state would continue to manage hunting on preserves. Just some activities such as bear-baiting, hunting wolves in summer, hunting bear sows and cubs together, and hunting certain caribou would be outlawed. The federal government would manage subsistence hunting in preserves as it does now. 2) Case law shows that the federal government can reasonably regulate on federal land. She believes the proposed rule is reasonable. It doesn't ban close to 50 percent of activities that currently occur on preserves, which represent just six percent of Alaska's landmass. 3) Alaskans will still have plenty of opportunity to hunt on preserves. An identical rule that was in place from 2015 to 2020 created no serious conflicts. MS. BALE concluded that she is an Alaskan who likes the proposed NPS rule. She urged the committee not to forward either SJR 8 or HJR 10. 3:48:09 PM NICOLE SCHMITT, Executive Director, Alaska Wildlife Alliance (AWA), Anchorage, Alaska, testified in opposition to HJR 10. She cautioned that resolutions like HJR 10 take biologically informed rule-making processes and elevate them to political grands. The issues in the rule are nuanced and specific and they should be considered. She agreed with the previous testimony that the NPS rule will still allow predator hunting. She pointed out that predator control and predator hunting are very different in both statute and regulation. MS. SCHMITT stated that the rule does not change the ability for Alaskans to present the Board of Game and federal Subsistence Board with proposals for different hunting practices. The rule makes certain practices unlawful on preserves, but there will still be ample opportunities for Alaskans to hunt. Federally qualified subsistence hunters will continue to be able to hunt on preserves and non-federally qualified users don't have that ability under current regulations. She encouraged the committee to look dispassionately at the details of the National Park Service concerns about bearbaiting stations and public safety and how the agency came to its conclusions. She opined that the rule is based on years of biological and agency review. She urged the committee not to support HJR 10 and instead address any concern about the proposed NPS rule during the public comment period that closes next Monday. 3:51:05 PM CO-CHAIR BISHOP closed public testimony on HJR 10. Finding no questions or comments, he solicited a motion. 3:51:17 PM CO-CHAIR GIESSEL moved to report HJR 10, work order 33-LS0562\A, from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note(s). 3:51:33 PM CO-CHAIR BISHOP found no objection and HJR 10 was reported from the Senate Resources Standing Committee.