UFA Legislative Update: March 17, 2019

March 18, 2019April 3, 20210 23
by in Legislative Update

Dear UFA Members and Friends,

In this issue:

Legislation – Happenings from this week on fishery related bills we are tracking. (March 11 – March 15)

House Fish and Game Finance Subcommittee
The House Fish and Game Finance Subcommittee met on March 12 where they continued overview of the Fish and Game Budget.  You may watch the meeting here.  On March 14, the committee reviewed the Division of Commercial Fisheries budget. You may watch the meeting here.

House Fisheries Committee
The House Fisheries Committee met on March 12 where they heard HB 35, the Conflict of Interest bill.  Public testimony was taken and UFA testified in front of the committee.  The bill was moved out of committee and referred to House Resources. You may watch the meeting here.  On March 14, the committee met again and heard a presentation on salmon hatcheries, the Alaska Hatchery Research Program, and being a wise consumer of Science. You may watch the meeting here.

Legislative Meetings of interest for this weekend and the week of March 18 – March 22, 2019.

Tuesday, March 19

House Fisheries Committee  – Gruenberg 120
9:45 a.m. 

  • The committee will hear presentations on hatcheries by the regional aquaculture associations and McDowell group. Visit Meeting Page.

House Fish and Game Finance Subcommittee – Gruenberg 120
10:00 a.m. 

  • Voting on Fish and Game budget action items. Testimony (invitation only).  Visit Meeting Page.

Wednesday, March 20

House Fish and Game Finance Subcommittee – Gruenberg 120
3:00 p.m.

Senate Resources– Butrovich 205
3:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 21

House Fish and Game Finance Subcommittee – Gruenberg 120
11:00 a.m. 

House Fisheries Committee – Gruenberg 120
11:15 a.m. 

  • The Committee will hear HB 41– Shellfish Enhancement Projects; Hatcheries- by Representative Ortiz. *Public Testimony*.  Visit Meeting Page. 

Senate Community and Regional Affairs– Beltz 105
3:30 p.m.

Please feel free to track bills in The Bill Tracking Management Facility (BTMF).

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 – call & 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.

To find your legislators and contact info see http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/  – see “WHO REPRESENTS ME?” in the lower right corner of the page.

Bills related to fisheries that we are tracking, and others that may be of interest to fishermen.

SB 22  – Shellfish Enhance. Projects; Hatcheries (Stevens- Senate Finance- UFA Supports) Referred to Senate Finance with no scheduled hearings at this time.
SB 51  – Natl. Res. Water Nomination/Designation (Senate Resources) Currently in Senate Resources.
SB 61 – Commercial Fishermen’s Fund: Vessel Owner Claims (Stevens – UFA Supports).  Currently in Senate Finance with no hearing scheduled at this time.
SB 63  – Fish Tax: Repeal Muni Refunds/Rev. Share (Senate Rules by Request of the Governor- UFA Opposes) Currently in Senate Community and Regional Affairs. Hearing on March 21.
HB 35– Conflict Of Interest: Board Fisheries/Game (Stutes – UFA Supports). Currently in House Resources with no scheduled hearings at this time.
HB 41– Shellfish Enhance. Projects; Hatcheries (Ortiz – UFA Supports). Currently in House Fisheries.  Hearing on March 21.
HB 65– Fish Tax: Repeal Muni Refunds/Rev. Share (House Rules by Request of the Governor – UFA Opposes).  Currently in House Fisheries with no scheduled meetings at this time.

Please support our business members – see links on our website
To join UFA see https://www.ufafish.org/become-a-member/

This update is made possible by the support of our Group, Business, Individual and Crew members.
To join UFA see https://www.ufafish.org/become-a-member/