Alaska 2025-2026 Regular Session

Alaska Senate Bill SB97 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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2	2	SB0097A -1- SB 97
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11	11	SENATE BILL NO. 97
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13	13	IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA
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15	15	THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION
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17	17	BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE
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19	19	Introduced: 2/12/25
20	20	Referred: Resources, Finance
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23	23	A BILL
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25	25	FOR AN ACT ENTITLED
26	26
27	27	"An Act establishing a big game guide concession area permit program on land in the 1
28	28	state; relating to the duties of the Big Game Commercial Services Board, the Board of 2
29	29	Game, the Department of Fish and Game, and the Department of Natural Resources; 3
30	30	requiring the Board of Game to establish an initial big game guide concession area; and 4
31	31	providing for an effective date." 5
32	32	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 6
33	33	* Section 1. AS 08.54.600(a) is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 7
34	34	(10) coordinate and consult with the Board of Game and the 8
35	35	Department of Natural Resources to fulfill the duties of each under AS 16.05.263 and 9
36	36	AS 38.05.021. 10
37	37	* Sec. 2. AS 16.05 is amended by adding a new section to read: 11
38	38	Sec. 16.05.263. Establishment of big game guide concession areas. (a) The 12
39	39	Board of Game shall consider and approve or disapprove a proposal to establish a big 13 34-LS0445\A
40	40	SB 97 -2- SB0097A
41	41	New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
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43	43	game guide concession area that would be administered by the Department of Natural 1
44	44	Resources under AS 38.05.021 in a single game management unit or subunit. The 2
45	45	board may only establish a big game guide concession area by approving a proposal 3
46	46	submitted under this section to do so. A big game guide may conduct a hunt in a 4
47	47	concession area established under this section only if the guide holds a big game guide 5
48	48	concession area permit issued under AS 38.05.021. 6
49	49	(b) A person may submit a proposal to the Board of Game for the 7
50	50	establishment of a big game guide concession area. After providing 15 days' public 8
51	51	notice, the board may consider the proposal at the board's next regular meeting in the 9
52	52	region where the big game guide concession area is proposed. 10
53	53	(c) After taking public comment, the Board of Game, in consultation with the 11
54	54	Department of Fish and Game, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Big 12
55	55	Game Commercial Services Board established under AS 08.54.591, may approve a 13
56	56	proposal to establish a big game guide concession area if the board determines that 14
57	57	establishing the area 15
58	58	(1) supports the conservation and management of the state's land and 16
59	59	big game resources; 17
60	60	(2) aids in the enforcement of state statutes and regulations relating to 18
61	61	guided hunts for big game; and 19
62	62	(3) is in the public interest. 20
63	63	(d) If the Board of Game approves the establishment of a big game guide 21
64	64	concession area under this section, the board shall determine the number of full big 22
65	65	game guide concession area permits and limited big game guide concession area 23
66	66	permits that the Department of Natural Resources shall make available under 24
67	67	AS 38.05.021. To determine the number of full big game guide concession area 25
68	68	permits and limited big game guide concession area permits that should be issued for a 26
69	69	big game guide concession area and the specific authorizations that should attach to 27
70	70	each concession permit authorized for the area, the Board of Game 28
71	71	(1) may establish advisory boards composed of representatives of the 29
72	72	state departments and boards listed in (c) of this section who are familiar with the area 30
73	73	and interested members of the public to assist the board in making the determination; 31 34-LS0445\A
74	74	SB0097A -3- SB 97
75	75	New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
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77	77	(2) may not 1
78	78	(A) combine more than three existing guide use areas into a 2
79	79	single big game guide concession area; 3
80	80	(B) establish more than one big game guide concession area in 4
81	81	a single guide use area. 5
82	82	(e) In this section, 6
83	83	(1) "full big game guide concession area permit" has the meaning 7
84	84	given in AS 38.05.021(j); 8
85	85	(2) "game management unit" has the meaning given in AS 08.54.790; 9
86	86	(3) "guide use area" has the meaning given in AS 08.54.750(g); 10
87	87	(4) "limited big game guide concession area permit" has the meaning 11
88	88	given in AS 38.05.021(j). 12
89	89	* Sec. 3. AS 38.05 is amended by adding a new section to read: 13
90	90	Sec. 38.05.021. Big game guide concession area permit program. (a) The 14
91	91	commissioner shall implement a big game guide concession area permit program to 15
92	92	limit the number of individuals authorized to conduct big game guiding on land in the 16
93	93	state where the Board of Game has approved the establishment of a big game guide 17
94	94	concession area under AS 16.05.263. 18
95	95	(b) The commissioner shall administer the big game guide concession area 19
96	96	permit program to 20
97	97	(1) encourage conservation of the state's land and wildlife resources; 21
98	98	(2) provide a superior hunting experience to individuals who retain big 22
99	99	game guiding services by limiting the number of guided hunts occurring in the same 23
100	100	area; 24
101	101	(3) reduce user conflicts between big game guides and between big 25
102	102	game guides and other users of land in the state; 26
103	103	(4) ensure a responsible, professional, and economically healthy big 27
104	104	game guide guiding industry in the state; and 28
105	105	(5) incentivize long-term planning and the conservation of natural 29
106	106	resources by big game guides. 30
107	107	(c) The department shall issue full big game guide concession area and limited 31 34-LS0445\A
108	108	SB 97 -4- SB0097A
109	109	New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
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111	111	big game guide concession area permits for a big game guide concession area 1
112	112	established by the Board of Game under AS 16.05.263 in an open, public, and 2
113	113	competitive process. The department shall establish permit standards and scoring 3
114	114	criteria, but may not provide that a permit be issued based on the highest bid amount. 4
115	115	A big game guide may not hold more than three concession permits at a time for state 5
116	116	land issued under this subsection and is subject to the requirements of AS 08.54.750. 6
117	117	A concession permit issued under this subsection is valid for 10 years from the date 7
118	118	issued. A concession permit issued under this subsection may not be extended or 8
119	119	renewed without the same open and competitive process provided by the department 9
120	120	for the issuance of a concession permit under this subsection. 10
121	121	(d) The commissioner, in consultation with the Big Game Commercial 11
122	122	Services Board established under AS 08.54.591, the Board of Game, and the 12
123	123	Department of Fish and Game, shall adopt regulations necessary to establish and 13
124	124	administer the big game guide concession area permit program, including regulations 14
125	125	relating to 15
126	126	(1) the qualifications for a full big game guide concession area permit 16
127	127	or a limited big game guide concession area permit; 17
128	128	(2) the process for issuing full big game guide concession area permits 18
129	129	and limited big game guide concession area permits and the scope and authorizations 19
130	130	provided by each permit; 20
131	131	(3) the determination and collection of reasonable concession permit 21
132	132	fees; in determining reasonable concession permit fees, the commissioner shall 22
133	133	consider the following: 23
134	134	(A) fees paid by big game guides holding similar concession 24
135	135	permits in other jurisdictions; 25
136	136	(B) the number and type of concession permits issued for a big 26
137	137	game guide concession area. 27
138	138	(e) Subject to the approval of the commissioner, a big game guide who holds a 28
139	139	concession permit under this section may, during the term of the permit, transfer the 29
140	140	concession permit to another individual qualified under regulations adopted under this 30
141	141	section. In approving or disapproving the transfer of a permit, the commissioner shall 31 34-LS0445\A
142	142	SB0097A -5- SB 97
143	143	New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
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145	145	consider the circumstances of the proposed transfer and whether the transfer will 1
146	146	promote the principles listed in (b) of this section. 2
147	147	(f) The commissioner, in consultation with the Big Game Commercial 3
148	148	Services Board established under AS 08.54.591, the Board of Game, and the 4
149	149	Department of Fish and Game, may suspend or revoke a concession permit issued 5
150	150	under this section. If a permittee violates the terms of a concession permit issued under 6
151	151	this section, the commissioner may suspend or revoke the concession permit after 7
152	152	providing the permittee with written notice and an opportunity to be heard. 8
153	153	(g) The commissioner shall keep confidential information provided by the Big 9
154	154	Game Commercial Services Board under AS 08.54.680 or 08.54.760 and any 10
155	155	propriety information, confidential commercial information, or confidential financial 11
156	156	information used by the department in the course of approving or denying an 12
157	157	application for a big game guide concession area permit offered under this section. 13
158	158	(h) The commissioner is responsible for administration and enforcement of 14
159	159	this section and may delegate that authority as appropriate. The department may issue 15
160	160	a citation for a violation of this section or a regulation adopted under this section. 16
161	161	(i) In issuing a full big game guide concession area permit or limited big game 17
162	162	guide concession area permit under this section, the commissioner, in consultation 18
163	163	with the Big Game Commercial Services Board established under AS 08.54.591, the 19
164	164	Board of Game, the Department of Fish and Game, and private landowners who own 20
165	165	5,000 or more acres of land in the game management unit where a concession program 21
166	166	is established shall consider each applicant's professional history and reputation, in 22
167	167	addition to other applicable criteria in the process required by (c) of this section. 23
168	168	(j) In this section, 24
169	169	(1) "concession permit" means a permit granting a big game guide the 25
170	170	right to conduct commercial big game hunts on land within a geographic area defined 26
171	171	by the department; 27
172	172	(2) "full big game guide concession area permit" means a concession 28
173	173	permit made available by the department through a competitive process that limits the 29
174	174	number of clients that a permit holder may provide big game guided hunts to in the 30
175	175	area and limits the species the permit holder may provide guided hunts for in the 31 34-LS0445\A
176	176	SB 97 -6- SB0097A
177	177	New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
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179	179	concession area; 1
180	180	(3) "limited big game guide concession area permit" means a 2
181	181	concession permit made available by the department through a random draw 3
182	182	application process that provides more restrictive limitations than a full big game 4
183	183	guide concession area permit on the number of clients that a permit holder may 5
184	184	provide big game guided hunts to in the area and limits the species the permit holder 6
185	185	may provide guided hunts for in the concession area. 7
186	186	* Sec. 4. AS 08.54.600(a)(9); AS 16.05.262; and AS 38.05.022 are repealed. 8
187	187	* Sec. 5. Sections 46 and 48, ch. 15, SLA 2024, are repealed. 9
188	188	* Sec. 6. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 10
189	189	read: 11
190	190	INITIAL BIG GAME GUIDE CONCESSION AREA AND PERMIT PROGRAM. 12
191	191	(a) Notwithstanding AS 16.05.263, added by sec. 2 of this Act, the Board of Game shall 13
192	192	establish the initial big game guide concession area under this section. In establishing the 14
193	193	initial concession area under this section, the Board of Game, after taking public comment 15
194	194	and in consultation with the Big Game Commercial Services Board established under 16
195	195	AS 08.54.591, the Department of Fish and Game, and the Department of Natural Resources, 17
196	196	shall identify and select a single game management unit or subunit that the Board of Game 18
197	197	determines would benefit most from the establishment of a big game guide concession area 19
198	198	permit program under AS 38.05.021, added by sec. 3 of this Act, in consideration of the 20
199	199	principles of AS 38.05.021(b), added by sec. 3 of this Act. The Board of Game shall 21
200	200	determine the number of full big game guide concession area permits and limited big game 22
201	201	guide concession area permits that the Department of Natural Resources shall make available 23
202	202	in the initial big game guide concession area established under this section and the specific 24
203	203	authorizations that should attach to each concession permit authorized under this subsection 25
204	204	for the area using the process provided in AS 16.05.263(d), added by sec. 2 of this Act. 26
205	205	(b) Notwithstanding the requirement in AS 38.05.021(a) and (c), added by sec. 3 of 27
206	206	this Act, that the Board of Game approve the establishment of the area under AS 16.05.263, 28
207	207	added by sec. 2 of this Act, the Department of Natural Resources shall establish and 29
208	208	administer a big game guide concession area permit program under AS 38.05.021, added by 30
209	209	sec. 3 of this Act, in the game management unit or subunit selected by the Board of Game 31 34-LS0445\A
210	210	SB0097A -7- SB 97
211	211	New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]
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213	213	under (a) of this section. 1
214	214	(c) In this section, 2
215	215	(1) "concession permit" means a permit granting a big game guide the right to 3
216	216	conduct commercial big game hunts on land within the boundaries of the region selected by 4
217	217	the Board of Game under (a) of this section; 5
218	218	(2) "full big game guide concession area permit" has the meaning given in 6
219	219	AS 38.05.021(j); 7
220	220	(3) "game management unit" has the meaning given in AS 08.54.790; 8
221	221	(4) "limited big game guide concession area permit" has the meaning given in 9
222	222	AS 38.05.021(j). 10
223	223	* Sec. 7. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 11
224	224	read: 12
225	225	TRANSITION. Notwithstanding the effective date of AS 16.05.263, added by sec. 2 13
226	226	of this Act, the Board of Game may only accept and consider a proposal to establish a big 14
227	227	game guide concession area under AS 16.05.263, added by sec. 2 of this Act, if 15
228	228	(1) the Board of Game has established the concession area required under sec. 16
229	229	2 of this Act; and 17
230	230	(2) the Department of Natural Resources has implemented and administered a 18
231	231	big game guide concession area permit program in the concession area established under sec. 19
232	232	2 of this Act for a period of at least three years, notwithstanding the requirement in 20
233	233	AS 38.05.021(a) and (c), added by sec. 3 of this Act, that the Board of Game approve the 21
234	234	establishment of the area under AS 16.05.263, added by sec. 2 of this Act. 22
235	235	* Sec. 8. This Act is retroactive to July 23, 2024. 23
236	236	* Sec. 9. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 24