Senate Finance Committee reports out SB 156 on commercial fishing, agricultural bank loans

The Alaska Senate Finance Committee on May 15, 2025, reported out a committee substitute for Senate Bill 156, addressing commercial fishing and agricultural bank loans, and sent it on to its next committee referral.

Committee Chair Stedman Olson opened the meeting and noted the committee had one item on the agenda: Senate Bill 156. Senator Kiel moved the committee’s recommended action, saying, "I move that the Senate Finance Committee report out CS for Senate Bill 156, which is version 34 LS0857H, as in Haines. Out of committee with the attached fiscal note, individual recommendations, and with authority to legislative legal services to make any necessary technical or conforming changes."

Senate Finance adopted the committee substitute’s attached fiscal note and accepted the motion by unanimous consent. Chair Stedman Olson then said, "Is there objection? Seeing none, that bill we'll pass on to the next committee referral." The committee took a brief at-ease while members signed the report.

The committee record notes that public testimony on SB 156 and review of fiscal notes occurred at earlier meetings, including hearings on May 6 and May 14, when the fiscal note was adopted for the committee substitute. The committee scheduled its next meeting for 9 a.m. the following day. The action taken on May 15 forwarded the CS for further consideration in the legislative process; Legislative Legal Services was authorized to make technical or conforming edits before the bill moves forward.

No roll-call vote was recorded in the transcript; the motion was approved by unanimous consent with no objections stated on the record.