Note to members – At-Large board election is in process!
Thanks to seventeen members who are in the running for four two year seats.
Ballots were mailed this week to current individual and lifetime members.
Be sure to vote by the April 1 postmark deadline!
We have been busy carrying out the actions from our February 21-23 meeting.
Letters are being posted to our website Current Issues tab as they are finalized and sent. Letters on Alaska legislation may also be found on the documents tab on the main page for the bill, and on the meeting page for the committees as they take up bills on which the UFA board took a position.
Legislative Meetings of Interest Scheduled for the week of March 13:
Top item – public testimony on Board of Fish candidates in Senate Resources committee – see Monday at 3:30 P.M.
Monday, March 13, 2017
1:00 PM – House Resources – Barnes Room 124
HB 87 – Conflict of Interest: Boards of Fisheries & Game
— Public Testimony —
HJR 12 – Opposing Gen. Engineered Salmon
— Public Testimony —
HB 32 Label Genetically Modified Food
— Public Testimony —
3:30 PM – Senate Resources Committee – Butrovich Room 205
Consideration of Governor’s Appointees – Board of Fisheries:
— Public Testimony on Appointees:
– Fritz Johnson
– Reed Morisky
– John Jensen
UFA supports the confirmation of John Jensen and Fritz Johnson.
Be sure to let the committee and your legislators know of your support.
These confirmations are expected to draw a lot of attention.
Not in Juneau? – testify at a Legislative Information Office – see http://akleg.gov/lios.php
Tuesday March 14:
8:00 A.M. – Senate Fish and Game Budget Subcommittee – Senate Finance Room 532
ADFG Budget close out (Senate side)
8:30 A.M. – House Finance Committee – Room 519
HB 115 – Income tax – including withholding on crew payments
10:00 A.M – House Fisheries – Gruenberg Room 120
HCR 8 – Kodiak Seafood & Marine Science Center — Public Testimony —
HB 76 – Mariculture Revolving Loan Fund
HB 128 – Shellfish Enhance. Projects; Hatcheries
Wednesday, March 15:
1:00 P.M. – House Resources Committee – Barnes Room 124
HB 46 Procure AK Fish, Ag Prod.; Raw Milk Sales – Invited Testimony
&
6:00 P.M. – House Resources Committee – Barnes Room 124 –
HB 46 – Procure AK Fish Ag Prod.; Raw Milk Sales – Public Testimony
Thursday, March 16
10:00 A.M. House Fisheries – Gruenberg Room 120
HJR 9 Canadian Mines on Transboundary Rivers – Public Testimony
1:30 P.M. House Finance Committee – Room 519
HB 56 Commercial Fishing Loans
(and three other bills)
1:30 P.M. Senate Labor and Commerce Committee – Beltz room 105 (Tom Stewart Bldg.)
SB 71 – Commercial Fishing Loans (Senate companion bill)
& Governor’s Appointments (not Board of Fisheries)
Friday, March 17
1:00 P.M. House Resources Committee – Barnes Room 124
HB 19 Ban Neonicotinoid Pesticides
— Public Testimony —
Presentation: Agriculture Activities in AK byArthur Keyes
— Testimony <Invitation Only> —
1:30 P.M. – House Finance Committee – Room 519
HB 115 Income Tax – with withholding on crew payments
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
HCR 8 – Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center
HJR 9 – Canadian Mines on Transboundary Rivers
HJR 12 – Opposing FDA approval of GM Salmon and urging labeling
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 56 Relating to limitations on certain commercial fishing loans made by the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development – Ortiz
&&&
SB 71 – Relating to limitations on certain commercial fishing loans made by the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development (Senator Stevens – Senate companion bill)
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
SB25 – Motor Fuel Tax – Senate Rules by Request of the Governor
HB 63 Transferring duties from DCCED to Department of Revenue – Rep. Pruitt
HB 76 – Mariculture revolving loan fund…” (Rep. Ortiz)
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)
HB 128 – Shellfish Enhance. Projects; Hatcheries (Ortiz)
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.
Compiled by UFA staff.