Committee advances HB93 to tighten residency rules for hunting and fishing permits after amendment to expand PFD exemptions fails

The House Resources Committee on March 26, 2025 held the second hearing on House Bill 93, proposed legislation to change residency definitions and verification for hunting, fishing and trapping permits. The committee heard invited and public testimony, considered one amendment and then moved the bill out of committee with individual recommendations and an attached zero fiscal note.

Public testimony included David Eggleston of Thorne Bay, who urged passage to close a perceived loophole he said allows out-of-state visitors to claim residency and access resident bag limits and subsistence privileges. "I strongly support HB 93. It will help tighten up the loopholes that are allowing hundreds, probably thousands of people from improperly claiming residency in Alaska," Eggleston said.

Nicholas Orr, who serves on the Juneau Douglas Advisory Committee, opposed using the state residency change to address problems he said some Prince of Wales Island residents are pursuing through federal subsistence processes. "The point I'm trying to make is Prince of Wales residents are using the federal system to keep out non federally qualified hunters," Orr said, and he urged caution about state action that mirrors federal restrictions.

Jen Leahy of Anchorage said she supports HB 93 because she and her household rely on fish and wildlife resources and she wants resident allocation to be reserved for Alaskans who meet Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) eligibility. "I think this legislation addresses those challenges while creating no additional barriers to participation for non residents," Leahy said.

Representative Rauscher offered Amendment 1 to add an additional exemption to the PFD-based absence rules, intended to allow people who accompany or provide care for a family member needing assistance to keep residency status even if they exceed the existing allowable absence periods. Rauscher said the amendment responds to constituents who could not qualify under existing PFD exception language. Representative Rauscher moved the amendment; Representative Rauscher declared a conflict of interest while speaking to it.

Committee members debated the amendment's language and vagueness. Representative Sadler and others asked whether terms such as "ill" or "accompanying" would need clearer statutory definitions. Co-chair Representative Burke noted that PFD statute is in Title 43 and that a statutory fix to PFD rules might be a separate route. The amendment failed on a roll call, with 4 yays and 5 nays.

Witnesses and the committee discussed enforcement. Colonel Brian Barlow, director of the Alaska Wildlife Troopers, explained that licenses are issued by the Department of Fish and Game on the basis of applicant information and that troopers perform field contacts and follow-up investigations when there is cause to suspect misstatement of residency. "It is assumed the information that's received is accurate and the license is issued based on that information," Barlow said, but residency investigations can be "highly, time intensive."

After further committee discussion, Co-chair Representative Divert moved to report HB 93 from committee with individual recommendations and an attached zero fiscal note. Representative Colom initially objected to the motion to ask clarifying questions, then withdrew the objection; with no further objections, the committee reported HB 93 out of committee.

Ending: House Bill 93 will advance to the next stage with committee recommendations; the failed amendment leaves the PFD-related absence rules unchanged pending possible separate statutory action.