UFA Legislative Update: March 18, 2016

From UFA President Jerry McCune

Highlights from this week:

-House Special Committee on Fisheries continues to hold the Governor’s fishery taxes bill HB 251. Committee Chair Representative Stutes has committed to holding the bill until similar progress is made in legislation for taxes on other industries, so fisheries are not singled out for new taxes. We do not see other industry tax bills scheduled in the House or Senate for next week.

Submitted documents

Minutes and Audio

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House Fisheries heard invited testimony Thursday 3/17 on HB 366 (Kreiss-Tomkins) regarding community permit banks.

Documents

Meeting Audio

& other related links:

For all that you would ever want to know about changes in permit ownership, by age, region, rural/urban, local/nonlocal, fishery, and more, see CFEC report: “Changes in the distribution of Alaska’s commercial fisheries entry permits, 1975-2013” (410 pages) at

https://www.cfec.state.ak.us/RESEARCH/14-1N/2013_transfer_study.pdf

For permit activity by community, see CFEC yearly permit activity tables at: https://www.cfec.state.ak.us/fishery_statistics/earnings.htm

&

Laine Welch Fish Factor (March 16): FISH FACTOR: Salmon permit values sink; halibut quota prices spike

http://www.alaskajournal.com/2016-03-16/fish-factor-salmon-permit-values-sink-halibut-quota-prices-spike

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SB172 – Shellfish mariculture – was amended in Senate Resources Committee – with a change in title from “fish” to “shellfish” and other changes, and was passed out and is now in Senate Finance. The current version pdf is at CSSB 172(RES).

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Finally, last week we didn’t have the Senate Finance Amendment 24 from Senators Pete Kelly and Lyman Hoffman that restored ASMI funding to the Governor’s proposed budget of $3,428,400 in general fund contribution to ASMI. The House version of the budget included $2,399,900, so the conference committee (to be named) will decide between these numbers.

 

Fishery related bills in committee meetings scheduled for week of March 21:

(H)RESOURCES        Standing Committee*

Mar 21 Monday 1:00 PM      BARNES 124

+HB 247 TAX;CREDITS;INTEREST;REFUNDS;O & G             TELECONFERENCED

+HB 286 FISH & GAME: OFFENSES;LICENSES;PENALTIES   TELECONFERENCED

+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled   TELECONFERENCED

The Senate companion bill for HB 286, SB 164 has passed Senate Resources and is currently in Senate Judiciary Committee; a hearing has not been scheduled.

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(S)RESOURCES         Standing Committee*

Mar 21 Monday 3:30 PM      BUTROVICH 205

Consideration of Governor’s Appointee: Board of Fisheries, Israel Payton

(UFA does not have a position on Israel Payton)

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(H)RESOURCES        Standing Committee*

Mar 23 Wednesday 1:00 PM BARNES 124

+=       HB 247           TAX;CREDITS;INTEREST;REFUNDS;O & G      TELECONFERENCED

*+        HB 254           EXTEND BIG GAME COMMERCIAL SERVICES BOARD       TELECONFERENCED

*+        HB 177           KING SALMON TAGS AND DESIGNS    TELECONFERENCED

+ Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled   TELECONFERENCED

&&&

(H)FISHERIES           Special Committee*

Mar 24 Thursday 10:00 AM GRUENBERG 120

Confirmation Hearings:

– Fishermen’s Fund Advisory & Appeals Council (Renee Alward)

– Board of Fisheries    (Ruffner, Cain, and Payton)

(UFA has submitted letters in support of Renee Alward for Fishermen’s Fund and Rober Ruffner and Al Cain for Board of Fisheries).

HB 300 FISH/SHELLFISH HATCHERY/ENHANCE. PROJECTS           TELECONFERENCED

+Bills Previously Heard/Scheduled    TELECONFERENCED

The Senate companion bill for HB 300, CSSB 172 (RES) has passed Senate Resources and is currently in Senate Finance; a hearing has not been scheduled. Senate documents and amendments..&…. UFA letter of support

Thank you for your support!