UFA Legislative Update: April 7, 2017

Thanks to all our business members for their support – we encourage members to support them with your business – see links on our website.


Non-Legislative item:
Renew Your 2017 Commercial Crew License Online for a Chance to Win a Free License! 
(Juneau) — The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) announces a promotional give away of ten 2017 commercial crewmember licenses. To be eligible, complete your 2017 commercial crew license renewal online, through the Alaska Fish and Game Online Store before October 6, 2017. A valid email, phone, and mailing address must be provided. ADF&G will hold the drawing on Tuesday October 17, 2017. Ten license holders who completed their 2017 license purchase online will receive a refund for the cost of their 2017 commercial crewmember license…
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=pressreleases.pr01232017


Events:
Laine Welch to host Salmon Policy Forum – April 11 in Juneau
Policy Forum – Alaska’s Salmon Habitat Sustainability Laws
A public forum discussing Alaska’s Salmon Habitat Sustainability Laws, Sponsored by: the Center for Salmon and Society and the UFA Salmon Habitat Information Program (SHIP) and Salmon Connect. Speakers include Legislative and State of Alaska ADF&G leaders, historian, mining industry, and salmon habitat advocates…. Rockwell Ballroom, Tuesday, April 11, 2017… Doors open 5:30pm; Program begins 6pm …Appetizers and no-host bar…
&
Also, two more worthwhile events in Juneau, Thursday April 13:
Taku and Chilkat River King Salmon Symposium: Status, Research and Fishery Management for 2017
April 13 – 6:30pm to 9:00pm at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center – 350 Whittier St… Free
…Scheduled are professional presentations and public questions and discussions about current chinook salmon management and research in the region…The goal of this event is to disseminate some of the most recent information available to all users in the region.  Improved understanding of the challenges posed by continued low Chinook salmon productivity and abundance will also help attendees understand the impacts to their fisheries.
Hosted by the Territorial Sportsmen with featured participants from ADF&G, NOAA and DIPAC
http://www.taku105.com/calendar/event/271/
&
Climate Change and Alaska Fisheries – Sea Grant presentation
Thursday April 13, 2017 5:30 PM at the City and Borough of Juneau Chambers – 155 S. Seward St in Juneau.
Terry Johnson with Alaska Sea Grant will be providing insights on this topic that is an interest in the fishing community/industry.
Terry Johnson has spent 17 seasons as a commercial fisherman and 40 years as a writer/reporter. His presentation summarizes recent research and current thinking about the effects of long-term climate change on Alaska’s fisheries which predicts that more profound change lies ahead. Discussion at this event will address adaptation planning for fishermen and fisheries-dependent communities as they work to adapt to a changing ocean. This presentation, another in a series sponsored by the Juneau Commission on Sustainability, is being brought to Juneau thanks to the support of Sea Grant Alaska and The Alaska Ocean Center.
For Sea Grant booklet free download or to purchase the printed version, see https://seagrant.uaf.edu/bookstore/pubs/MAB-67.html


Legislative happenings from this week:

HB 115 – Income Tax & PFD – was amended on 4/3 in House Finance Committee.  Amendment #2 removed withholding requirements for all independent contractors, so the issue of withholding on payments to commercial fishing crew has been eliminated from the bill…
Hearing scheduled for Friday 4/7 was cancelled and it is now scheduled for 4/11 in House Fisheries along with SB 26.

SB 26 – Permanent fund Senate bill –was heard in House Finance 4/7… scheduled for 4/10 & 4/11.

HB 129 – Fish and Game offense, licenses, and penalties (Governor) – was heard in House Resources on 4/3 with invited testimony only, and amended and passed out of House Resources 4/5 and is now in House Judiciary. A hearing has not been scheduled. So far there has not been an opportunity for public comment on HB 129. There was public testimony taken on companion bill SB 60 in Senate Resources committee on March 1, We have heard some concerns from fishermen but so far no fishing groups have taken a position that we are aware of.
There are no hearings for either bill scheduled at this time.

HJR 9 – Canadian Mines on Transboundary Rivers –  was moved on 4/6 from House Fisheries committee and is scheduled to be heard Monday, April 10 at 1:00 P.M.  in House Resources.

SB 95 – Mariculture revolving loan fund – was moved from Senate Labor and Commerce and is now in Senate Finance committee.


Legislative Meetings of Interest Scheduled for the week of April 10:

Joint confirmation hearing for confirmation of Governor’s appointees is scheduled for 11:00 A.M. Thursday 4/13.
Send your letters of support to your House Representatives and Senators… find your legislators with lookup form at lower right of Legislature home page.
UFA letter – support for John Jensen and Fritz Johnson for Board of Fisheries

HB 87 Board of Fisheries Conflict of Interest bill is scheduled for Thursday 4/13 at 3:30 in Senate State Affairs.
UFA letter – support HB 87 on Board of Fisheries Conflict of Interest

Senate Finance Committee will continue to work on the state capital budget SB 23 with public testimony on Saturday 4/11 beginning at 9:00 AM; and bills previously heard through the week.

House Finance Committee continues to work on HB 115 – Income Tax & PFD and the Senate permanent Fund bill SB26 .

Monday, April 10, 2017                         

8:00 A.M. House Finance Committee – Room 519
SB26 – Approp Limit & Per Fund:Dividend; Earnings – see 4:00 .p.m. hearing below for public comment opportunity.

9:00 A.M. Senate Finance Committee – Room 532
SB 88 – Mental Health Land Exchange

1:00 P.M. House Resources – Room 124
HJR 9 – Canadian Mines on Transboundary Rivers

4:00 – 7:00 P.M. House Finance Committee – Room 519
SB26  – Permanent Fund – Public testimony –

Tuesday, April 11:

10:00 AMHouse Fisheries Committee – Room 120
HB 199 – Salmon Habitat permitting

11:30 A.M. House Arctic Policy, Economic Development and Tourism special committee – Room 124
HJR 19 – Arctic Marine Safety Agreements

1:30 P.M. House Finance Committee – Room 519
SB26 – Approp Limit & Permanent Fund Dividend;Earnings
HB 115 – Income Tax & PFD

Wednesday, April 12:

1:30 P.M. House Finance Committee – Room 519
HB 166 – Museum Construction Grant Program
…and four other bills

Thursday, April 13:

10:00 A.M. House Fisheries – Room 120
HB 188 – Regional permit banks

11:00 A.M. Joint Session – House and Senate – House Chambers
Confirmation of Governor’s Appointees
Be sure to send your letters to your Representatives and Senators.

11:30 A.M. House Arctic Policy, Economic Development and Tourism special committee – Room 124
Presentation by Paul Fuhs, Marine Exchange of AK.

1:30 P.M.  – House Finance Committee – Room 519
HB 127-Crim. Conv. Overturned: Receive Past Pfd
HB 47-Municipal Pers Contributions/Interest
HB 155 – AK Mental Health Land Exchange

3:30 P.M. Senate State Affairs – Room 205
HB 87 Board of Fisheries and Board of Game – Conflict of Interest

Friday, April 14:

1:30 P.M. House Finance Committee – Room 519
HB 76 – Mariculture revolving loan fund
HB 128  – Shellfish Enhance. Projects; Hatcheries
HB 167 -State agency performance audits
SB 3 – Small passenger wastewater & 1% for art exemption

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 toll free 844-586-9085 and ask for the specific hearing.

Alaska State Legislature home page: http://akleg.gov/ .
To watch committee meetings live, click on “Live Now” tab near the upper right of the legislature home page.


Bills related to fisheries, and others that may be of interest to fishermen

SB 3 – Small passenger wastewater & 1% for art exemption (Stedman)

SB 7  Establishing a museum construction grant program in the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development – Stevens
HB 166   – House companion bill (Parish, Kito)

HCR 8  – Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center (House Fisheries)

HJR 9 – Canadian Mines on Transboundary Rivers (Ortiz)

HJR 12 – Opposing FDA approval of GM Salmon and urging labeling (Tarr)

HJR 19 – Arctic Marine Safety Agreements (Westlake)

HB 14 – Leg. approval of Bristol Bay sulfide mine- Josephson

HB 17 – Establishing a fish and game conservation program/account in ADFG – Josephson

HB 19 – Ban neonicotinoid pesticides – Drummond…

SB25 – Motor Fuel Tax – Senate Rules by Request of the Governor

SB26 – Approp Limit & Per Fund: Dividend; Earnings

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

HB 42 – Relating to seizure of property; relating to forfeiture to the state – includes language on seizure of fishing permits…

HB 46  Procure AK Fish, Ag Prod.; Raw Milk Sales – Tarr

HB 56  Relating to limitations on certain commercial fishing loans- Ortiz
& companion bill:
SB 71 – Relating to limitations on certain commercial fishing loans – Stevens

HB 60 – Motor Fuel Tax – House Rules by Request of the Governor

HB 62  – Adoption of new regulations – would require repeal of another, except for regulations adopted by boards & commissions

HB 63 Transferring duties from DCCED to Department of Revenue – Rep. Pruitt
(this bill has had no action since addition of co-signer Millett on March 1)

HB 76 – Mariculture revolving loan fund…” (Rep. Ortiz)
SB 95 – Mariculture revolving loan fund – Senate Companion bill (Stevens)

HB 87 Board of Fisheries and Board of Game – Conflict of Interest (Stutes)

HB 88 Board of Fisheries Membership – Rep. Stutes

SB 88 – Mental Health Land Exchange – Sen. Stedman

SB 92 Derelict vessels  (Sen. Micchche)

HB 107 Fisheries enhancement permit – egg & unfed fry enhancement in same waters (Talerico)

HB 115 – Income Tax & PFD – (House Finance)

HB 128  – Shellfish Enhance. Projects; Hatcheries (Ortiz)
SB 89 – Shellfish Enhancement Projects; Hatcheries (Stevens)

HB 129 – Fish and Game offense, licenses, and penalties (Governor)
SB 60 – Fish and Game offense, licenses, and penalties (Governor)

HB 149 – Board of Fisheries five year cycle (Chenault)

HB 155 – AK Mental Health Land Exchange (Ortiz)

HB 177 – Invasive Species (Tarr)

HB 188 – Regional permit banks (Kreiss – Tomkins)

HB 199 – Salmon Habitat permitting (Stutes)

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 – by Senator Wielechowski.

To support UFA by joining or renewing your membership, visit: www.ufafish.org/become-a-member/

Compiled by UFA staff and made possible by the support of UFA’s Group, Business, Individual and Crew members.
ufa@ufafish.org
PO Box 20229
Juneau AK 99802
(907) 586-2820