Senate Transportation Committee reports HB31 to remove duplicate vessel registration, transfer $1.67M to general fund

Juneau — The Alaska Senate Transportation Committee on May 6, 2025, moved House Bill 31 out of committee by unanimous consent, advancing legislation that would end a duplicative vessel registration requirement for certain U.S. Coast Guard–documented commercial fishing vessels and transfer $1,670,000 from the derelict vessel prevention fund to the state general fund.

Representative Louise Stutes, who represents House District 5, and her staff member Matt Greening summarized the bill for the committee. Greening told the panel that the bill contains the same language that passed both chambers last session but was later vetoed because it passed after midnight on the final night of the session. He said the measure would remove the requirement that U.S. Coast Guard–documented vessels with a current Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission license register every three years with the Division of Motor Vehicles and would repeal the derelict vessel prevention program fund.

"I will close by reminding members that fiscally this is a fiscally responsible piece of legislation as it transfers $1,670,000 from the derelict vessel fund to the state's general coffers," said Matt Greening, staff to Rep. Louise Stutes.

Committee members asked no questions during the hearing. The committee opened public testimony on House Bill 31 and recorded no speakers; public testimony was closed. A committee member moved to "report House Bill 31, version 34-LS0326, from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal notes." With no objections, the chair announced the motion carried and the bill was reported from committee. The chair asked members to remain after the meeting to sign the bill file.

The committee also canceled its Thursday meeting and said it will meet next on May 13 for an update from the Department of Transportation on a tentative advertising schedule.

Background: Committee discussion referenced Senate Bill 92 (Feb. 2018), which had repealed a prior exemption and placed larger vessels under DMV registration. Rep. Stutes and staff argued that the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) database, which requires annual license renewal, already provides ownership and contact information for commercial fishing vessels and therefore makes the DMV registration redundant. The transcript and committee remarks state that House Bill 31 would repeal the derelict vessel prevention program fund and transfer its remaining balance to the general fund.

No roll-call vote was recorded in the committee transcript; the motion was adopted by unanimous consent with "no objection" noted on the record.