UFA Legislative Update: February 10, 2017

 

  1. New Fisheries-related legislation:

HB 76 – “An Act relating to the mariculture revolving loan fund…” (Rep. Kreiss-Tomkins)

HB 107 “An Act relating to certain fish; and establishing a fisheries enhancement permit” (Talerico)… referred to Fisheries and Resources committees.

HB 115 “An Act relating to the permanent fund dividend; relating to the appropriation of certain amounts of the earnings reserve account; relating to the taxation of income of individuals; relating to a payment against the individual income tax from the permanent fund dividend disbursement; repealing tax credits applied against the tax on individuals under the Alaska Net Income Tax Act; and providing for an effective date.” (by House Finance Committee).

Four hearings are scheduled next week – with public testimony on Friday:

HearingFeb 13 Monday 1:30 PM (H)FINANCE at HOUSE FINANCE 519 TELECONFERENCED

HearingFeb 14 Tuesday 1:30 PM (H)FINANCE at HOUSE FINANCE 519 TELECONFERENCED

HearingFeb 15 Wednesday 1:30 PM (H)FINANCE at HOUSE FINANCE 519 TELECONFERENCED

Presentation: Modeling by David Teal, Director,

HearingFeb 17 Friday 1:30 PM (H)FINANCE at HOUSE FINANCE 519 TELECONFERENCED — Statewide Public Testimony — 2 min. limit

Title. (by House Finance Committee)

This bill includes withholding and reporting requirements on payments to fishing crew that UFA objected to strongly in the income tax bills last year: UFA comments on fishermen withholding estimated crew state income tax in HB250 & SB 134 (April 7, 2016)


  1. Bills on the move:

SB25 Motor Fuel Tax bill was moved on Thursday 2/9 from Senate Transportation to Senate Finance Committee.

SB 28 Petersburg Municipal Land Selections was moved on Wednesday 2/8 from Senate Community and Regional Affairs to Senate Rules.

 


  1. Fisheries related bills heard in committee hearings this past week:

HB88 Board of Fisheries Membership – Rep. Stutes – was heard and held on Tuesday 2/7 in House Fisheries.

HB 87 Board of Fisheries and Board of Game Conflict of Interest – was heard with public testimony and held on Thursday 2/9 in House Fisheries and is scheduled again for Tuesday 2/14. An updated Committee Substitute Version U, and supporting documents are online under the documents tab. An amendment to change from three to five year cycle has been posted and will be taken up on Tuesday – see upcoming hearings below.


  1. Meetings of interest scheduled for the week of February 13:

(See also HB 115 Income Tax / Crew withholding House Finance hearings above)

Tuesday February 14

House Finance Fish and Game Subcommittee – Feb 14 Tuesday 8:00 AM – Room 106

Discussion of Presentations Previously Heard. See also at 11:00 am.

House Special Committee on Fisheries – Feb 14 Tuesday 10:00 AM – Room 120

Public Testimony will continue on:

HB 87 Board of Fisheries and Board of Game Conflict of Interest

An Amendment that would change from three to five year cycle from Rep. Chenault is available in the documents tab for the meeting or the bill.

House Finance Fish and Game Subcommittee Feb 14 Tuesday 11:00 AM– Room 120

Budget Overview: Div. of Habitat by David Rogers, Director

Budget Overview: Div. of Subsistence by Hazel Nelson, Director

House Transportation committee – Tuesday, February 14 1:30 – Room 124

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

Presentation by Brian Fechter, OMB Policy Analyst

Thursday, February 16th, 2017

House Fisheries special committee – Feb 16 Thursday 10:00 – Room 120

CFEC Presentation on Limited Entry Permit Cap

+Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled

Fish and Game Finance Sub Committee – Feb 16 Thursday 11:00 AM – Room 120

– Public Testimony on Fish and Game Budget

– Review of Prepunctual Subcommittee Proposals – Proposals will be posted 24 hours in

Advance (see documents tab at above meeting link).

– Sign up by 11:10 am or testimony will close – Call 465-3824 to obtain call-in phone number

– Send written testimony to Rep.Dan.Ortiz@akleg.gov .

If you plan on testifying, be sure to review the proposal documents which will be posted 24 hours before the meeting.

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.

 


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

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…

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

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

HB 56 Relating to limitations on certain commercial fishing loans made by the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development – Ortiz

HB 63 Transferring duties from DCCED to Department of Revenue – Rep. Pruitt

HB 76 – Mariculture revolving loan fund…” (Rep. Kreiss-Tomkins)

HB 87 Board if Fisheries and Board of Game – Conflict of Interest

HB88 Board of Fisheries Membership – Rep. Stutes

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

HB 115 – Income Tax & PFD – including withholding on crew payments (House Finance)

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.