HB 304 — An Act relating to the duties of the commissioner of fish and game; establishing the sport fishing angler access account; establishing the sport fishing angler access surcharge; and providing for an effective date.

34-LS1375\G34-LS1375\I CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO.

304(FSH)304 IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION BY THEREPRESENTATIVE HOUSEMCCABE SPECIALIntroduced: COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES Referred:

Finance2/13/26 Sponsor(s):Referred:

REPRESENTATIVEHouse MCCABESpecial Committee on Fisheries, Finance A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED "An Act relating to the duties of the commissioner of fish and game;

It is the intent of the legislature that the commissioner of fish and game model the biennial report required under AS 16.05.050(c), added by sec.

(c) EveryThe four years, the commissioner shall produce and disseminate to the public a biennial report on the economic impacts of sport fishing in the state.

HB0304bHB0304a -1- CSHBHB 304(FSH)304 New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 34-LS1375\G34-LS1375\I (i) Money accruing to the state from the sport fishing angler access surcharge imposed by AS 16.05.340(l) shall be deposited in a separate account known as the sport fishing angler access account within the fish and game fund.

The department shall allocate money in the angler access account to production and dissemination of the biennial report on the economic impacts of sport fishing in the state required under AS 16.05.050(c).

The Department shall, after allocating funds for the production and dissemination of the report under this subsection, allocate funds in the account to programs intended to directly benefit license purchasers by developing, improving, and maintaining access opportunities, facilities and other infrastructure, and services for nonmotorized sport fishing.

AS 16.05.340(i), as amended by sec.

4 of this Act, is amended to read:

(i) If the commissioner determines that residents of the state are entitled to obtain licenses for sport fishing, including sport fishing for anadromous king salmon, in Yukon, Canada, for the same fees that are charged to residents of Yukon for comparable sport fishing licenses, the commissioner may adopt regulations authorizing residents of Yukon to receive (1) nonresident annual sport fishing licenses for the fees charged to residents under (a) [AND (l)] of this section for a resident sport fishing license;

and (2) nonresident anadromous king salmon annual tags for the fee charged to residents under (a) of this section for a resident anadromous king salmon tag.

* Sec.

6.

(l) In addition to the fees for a sport fishing license set out in (a) and (d) of this section, each person who purchases a sport fishing license shall pay a sport fishing anglerHB access304 surcharge-2- asHB0304a setNew outText inUnderlined this[DELETED subsection.TEXT BRACKETED] 34-LS1375\I angler access surcharge of one dollar.

The amount of the sport fishing angler access surcharge to be paid under this subsection for each sport CSHB 304(FSH) -2- HB0304b New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED] 34-LS1375\G fishing license is as follows:

(1) resident sport fishing license .........................................................$1 (2) resident hunting and sport fishing license .......................................1 (3) resident hunting, trapping, and sport fishing license .......................1 (4) nonresident 14-day sport fishing license .........................................3 (5) nonresident seven-day sport fishing license ....................................2 (6) nonresident three-day sport fishing license......................................2 (7) nonresident one-day sport fishing license .......................................2 (8) nonresident annual sport fishing license .........................................5 (9) special nonresident military small game and sport fishing license..1 (10) special nonresident military sport fishing license .........................1.

6.7.

AS 16.05.050(c), 16.05.130(i), and 16.05.340(l) are repealed.

* Sec.

8.

7.9.

Section 68 of this Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).

8.10.

ExceptSections as5 providedand in7 sec.take effect January 1, 2032.

7* ofSec. this Act, this Act takes effect January 1, 2027.

HB0304b11. -3- CSHB 304(FSH) New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

Except as provided in secs.

9 and 10 of this Act, this Act takes effect January 1, 2027.

HB0304a -3- HB 304 New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]