This week was relatively quiet as the legislature has been addressing personnel matters unrelated to fisheries and well-reported elsewhere. Next week also looks to be relatively quiet as far as fisheries matters.
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Contents:
- Governor Walker requested legislation to streamline mining regulations…
- Governor appoints Carol A. Petraborg to the CFEC and Mark Saldi to Fishermens Fund
- The 30th Alaska Legislature – happenings from this week…
- Legislative Meetings of interest for the week of February 5:
- To testify, watch or listen in to a hearing…
- Bills related to fisheries, and others that may be of interest to fishermen that we are tracking.
What’s new…
- Governor Walker requested legislation to streamline mining regulations…
“An Act amending requirements for qualifications to acquire or hold mining rights; amending rental rates for mining locations and leases; repealing annual labor requirements for mining locations; providing for waiver of a cure penalty for abandonment because of failure to properly record a statement of labor; and providing for an effective date.”… HB 317 and SB 166 were referred to Resources and Finance committees in both the House and Senate.
The Senate Companion bill SB 166 has been scheduled in Senate Resources committee for Friday, Feb 9.
- The Governor has appointed Carol A. Petraborg to the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission, and Mark Saldi was re-appointed to the Fishermen’s Fund Advisory and Appeals Council. These were read across on the Senate Floor this morning (Feb.2) and will be subject to legislative confirmation later this session…
See video from Gavel to Gavel at http://www.360north.org/gavel/video/?clientID=2147483647&eventID=2018021043 and skip ahead to 5:00 minutes into the session for these seats.
- The 30th Alaska Legislature – happenings from this week…
HJR 12 Opposing FDA approval of GM Salmon and urging labeling (Tarr) was moved on Monday from Senate Resources Committee , it’s only committee of referral in the Senate, and now is in Senate Rules committee.
HCR 8 Kodiak Seafood & Marine Science Center passed Senate Labor and Commerce Committee and is changed is in Senate Rules committee.
HB 188 – Regional fisheries trusts (Kreiss-Tomkins) was heard again in House Fisheries Committee on Tuesday 1/30… with further explanation on new version M.
House ADFG budget subcommittee met Tuesday 1/30 for an overview by ADFG Commissioner Sam Cotten – video is posted on the meeting page… for more info see ADFG FY2019 proposed budget detail
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House ADFG budget subcommittee met Thursday 1/31 for an overview on Commercial Fisheries by ADFG Comfish Director Scott Kelley… video is posted on the meeting page…
House Fisheries special committee heard an overview on Thursday 2/1 on the Board of Fisheries by board chairman John Jensen… video is posted on the meeting page…
- Legislative Meetings of interest for the week of February 5:
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
11:00 A.M. House Fisheries special committee – Room 120 – Presentation on the Permitting Process by ADF&G.
Thursday, February 8, 2018
10:00 A.M. House Fisheries special committee – Room 120 – Presentation on the Permitting Process by ADF&G, DEC and DNR
Friday, February 9, 2018
3:30 A.M. Senate Resources committee – Room 205 – SB 166 – Mining: claims; rights; rental rates; labor -testimony by invitation only.
- To testify, watch or listen in to a hearing… To testify it’s best to go to a Legislative Information office – see them online at http://akleg.gov/lios.php .
If you can’t get to an LIO you can call in to listen in or testify through the following numbers – & ask for the specific committee hearing:
From Anchorage based phones call 907-563-9085;
From Juneau based phones or outside Alaska call 907-586-9085;
From other areas of Alaska, call toll-free 844-586-9085…and ask for the specific hearing.
To watch hearings online go to legislative home page at http://w3.akleg.gov/ at the time of the hearing, and click on the “Live Now” tab, and then select the meeting.
To watch floor sessions and other hearings see Gavel to Gavel archives.
- Bills related to fisheries, and others that may be of interest to fishermen that we are tracking.
HCR 8 – Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center (House Fisheries – passed House and Senate Committees, now in Senate Rules)
HJR 12 – Opposing FDA approval of GM Salmon and urging labeling (Tarr – passed House and Senate Committees, now in Senate Rules)
HB 14 – Leg. approval of Bristol Bay sulfide mine (Josephson – now in House Resources – new fiscal notes posted by DEC, DNR & ADFG)
HB 17 – Establishing a fish and game conservation program/account in ADFG (Josephson – now in House Resources)
HB 19 – Ban neonicotinoid pesticides (Drummond – passed House Resources, now in Finance)
SB25 – Motor Fuel Tax – Senate Rules by Request of the Governor (Senate Finance)
HB 29 -Prohibiting sale of genetically modified fish/fish products – Tarr
HB 32 – Relating to the labeling of food; relating to the misbranding of food; requiring labeling of food produced with genetic engineering (Tarr- House Resources)
HB 42 – Relating to seizure of property; relating to forfeiture to the state – includes language on seizure of fishing permits (Wilson – House Finance)
HB 46 Procure AK Fish, Ag Prod.; Raw Milk Sales (Tarr – House Finance)
HB 56 Relating to limitations on certain commercial fishing loans (Ortiz – House Finance)
& companion bill:
SB 71 – Relating to limitations on certain commercial fishing loans (Stevens –Senate Finance)
HB 60 – Motor Fuel Tax (House Rules by Request of the Governor –now in House Finance)
SB 89 – Shellfish Enhancement Hatcheries (Stevens – now in Senate Finance)
HB 128 – companion bill (Ortiz – passed House and now in Senate Finance)
SB 95 – Mariculture revolving loan fund (Stevens – Senate Finance)
HB 76 – House companion bill – (Ortiz – passed House and now in Senate Finance)
HB 87 Board of Fisheries and Board of Game – Conflict of Interest (Stutes –passed House, now in Senate State Affairs)
HB 88 Board of Fisheries Membership (Rep. Stutes – House Fisheries)
SB 92 – An Act relating to abandoned and derelict vessels; relating to the registration of vessels; relating to certificates of title for vessels; relating to the duties of the Department of Administration; relating to the duties of the Department of Natural Resources; establishing the derelict vessel prevention program; establishing the derelict vessel prevention program fund; and providing for an effective date.” (This bill includes some insurance requirements that we are not aware of as being currently available) (Micciche – Senate Resources)
HB 107 Fisheries enhancement permit – egg & unfed fry enhancement in same waters (Talerico – House Resources)
SB 115 “An Act relating to the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission; and providing for an effective date.” (Administration – Senate State Affairs) )
HB 231 “An Act relating to the Alaska Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission; and providing for an effective date.” (Administration –House Fisheries)
HB 129 – Fish and Game offense, licenses, and penalties (Administration – now in House Judiciary)
SB 60 -Companion bill passed (Administration -now in senate Judiciary)
HB 149 – Board of Fisheries five year cycle (Chenault – House Fisheries)
HB 155 – AK Mental Health Land Exchange (Ortiz –House Finance)
HB 177 – Invasive Species (Tarr–House Finance)
HB 188 – Regional permit banks (Kreiss–Tomkins – House Fisheries –new version introduced – see above – now scheduled for Tuesday 1/30)
HB 199 – Salmon Habitat permitting (Stutes – House Fisheries – new version introduced – see above)
SJR 3 Urging the President of the United States and the United States Congress to mitigate the harm done to the state’s seafood industry because of the withdrawal of the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement; and urging the President of the United States and the United States Congress to work to benefit and protect the state’s seafood industry (Senator Wielechowski –Senate State Affairs)
Compiled by UFA staff and made possible by the support of our Group, Business, Individual and Crew members.
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