HB 396 — An Act establishing a big game guide concession area permit program on land in the state; relating to the duties of the Big Game Commercial Services Board, the Board of Game, the Department of Fish and Game, and the Department of Natural Resources; requiring the Board of Game to establish an initial big game guide concession area; and providing for an effective date.

33-LS1546\B33-LS1546\A CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO.

396(RES)396 IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION BY THE HOUSE RESOURCES COMMITTEE Referred:Introduced:

Finance4/10/24 Sponsor(s):Referred:

HOUSEResources, RESOURCESFinance COMMITTEE A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED "An Act establishing a big game guide concession area permit program on land in the state;

and HB0396bHB0396a -1- CSHBHB 396(RES)396 New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 33-LS1546\B33-LS1546\A (B) a certification examination for each game management unit in which the registered guide-outfitter intends to provide big game hunting services;

(a) The CSHBHB 396(RES)396 -2- HB0396bHB0396a New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 33-LS1546\B33-LS1546\A Board of Game shall consider and approve or disapprove a proposal to establish a big game guide concession area that would be administered by the Department of Natural Resources under AS 38.05.022 in a single game management unit or subunit.

To determine the number of full big game guide concession area permits and limited big game guide concession area permits that should be issued for a big game guide concession area and the specific authorizations that should attach to each concession permit authorized for the area, the Board of Game (1) may establish advisory boards composed of representatives of the state departments and boards listed in (c) of this section who are familiar with the area HB0396bHB0396a -3- CSHBHB 396(RES)396 New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 33-LS1546\B33-LS1546\A and interested members of the public to assist the board in making the determination;

(B) establish more than one big game guide concession area in what was a single guide use area.

CSHBHB 396(RES)396 -4- HB0396bHB0396a New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 33-LS1546\B33-LS1546\A (c) The department shall issue full big game guide concession area and limited big game guide concession area permits for a big game guide concession area established by the Board of Game under AS 16.05.262 in an open, public, and competitive process.

TheA departmentbig shallgame establishguide permitmay standardsnot andhold scoringmore criteria,than butthree mayconcession notpermits provideat that a permittime beand issuedis basedsubject onto the highestrequirements bidof amount.AS 08.54.750.

A big game guide may not hold more than three concession permits at a time for state land issued under this subsection and is subject to the requirements of AS 08.54.750.

(B) the number and type of concession permits issued for a big game guide concession area.area;

(e)(C) Subjectreducing tofees thebased approvalon of the commissioner, a big game guide who holds a concession permit underholder's thispromotion section may, during the term of theand permit,adherence transferto the concessionprinciples permitlisted toin another(b) individualof qualified under regulations adopted under this HB0396b -5- CSHB 396(RES) New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 33-LS1546\B section.

(e) Subject to the approval of the commissioner, a big game guide who holds a concession permit under this section may, during the term of the permit, transfer the concession permit to another individual qualified under regulations adopted under this HB0396a -5- HB 396 New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 33-LS1546\A section.

(2) "full big game guide concession area permit" means a concession permit made available by the department through a competitive process that limits(A) does not limit the number of clientsassistant thatguides a permit holder may provideemploy big game guided hunts to in the area and limits the species the permit holder may provide guided hunts for in the concession area;

(3)(B) "limitedlimits big game guide concession area permit" means a concession permit made available by the department through a random draw application process that provides more restrictive limitations than a full big game guide concession area permit on the number of clients that a permit holder may provide big game guided hunts to in the area and limits the species the permit holder CSHB 396(RES) -6- HB0396b New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 33-LS1546\B may provide guided hunts for in the concession area.area;

(3) "limited big game guide concession area permit" means a concession permit made available by the department through a random draw application process that HB 396 -6- HB0396a New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 33-LS1546\A (A) limits the number of assistant guides a permit holder may employ in the concession area;

(B) provides more restrictive limitations than a full big game guide concession area permit on the number of clients that a permit holder may provide big game guided hunts to in the area and limits the species the permit holder may provide guided hunts for in the concession area.

(c) In this section, (1) "concession permit" means a permit granting a big game guide the right to conduct commercial big game hunts on land within the boundaries of the region selected by HB0396a -7- HB 396 New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 33-LS1546\A the Board of Game under (a) of this section;

(4) "limited big game guide concession area permit" has the meaning given in HB0396b -7- CSHB 396(RES) New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 33-LS1546\B AS 38.05.022(i).

This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c) CSHBHB 396(RES)396 -8- HB0396bHB0396a New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]