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HB191 • 2026

INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT

An Act establishing the Alaska Invasive Species Council in the Department of Fish and Game; relating to management of invasive species; and providing for an effective date.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
REPRESENTATIVES HIMSCHOOT, Bynum, Hannan, Gray
Last action
2025-05-12
Official status
(H) FIN
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not provide detailed information on specific actions state agencies must take based on the council's recommendations.

Alaska Invasive Species Management Act

This act establishes the Alaska Invasive Species Council within the Department of Fish and Game to manage invasive species by coordinating efforts among state agencies, tribal entities, and non-governmental organizations.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates an advisory council called the Alaska Invasive Species Council in the Department of Fish and Game.
  • The council will help different government departments work together on managing invasive species.
  • It recommends coordinated interagency strategies related to management of invasive species, including importation rules.
  • Upon request from a state agency, the council provides guidance on prioritizing responses to occurrences of invasive species.

Who It Names or Affects

  • State government departments like Fish and Game, Natural Resources, Environmental Conservation, and Transportation and Public Facilities.
  • Tribal entities involved in managing invasive species.
  • Non-governmental organizations focused on preventing and managing invasive species.

Terms To Know

Invasive Species
A non-native plant or animal that can harm the economy, environment, public health, infrastructure, or cultural heritage.
Non-Native Species
Any biological material capable of propagating a species not naturally found in Alaska or its ecosystems.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act does not specify how the council will be funded beyond the Invasive Species Response Fund.
  • It is unclear what specific actions state agencies must take based on the council's recommendations.
  • The exact procedures for inviting non-voting members to join the council are left undefined.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-12 1136

    (H) REFERRED TO FINANCE

  2. 2025-05-12 1136

    (H) FN1: (DFG)

  3. 2025-05-12 1136

    (H) AM: COULOMBE, RAUSCHER, SADDLER

  4. 2025-05-12 1136

    (H) NR: ELAM

  5. 2025-05-12 1136

    (H) DP: FIELDS, HALL, MEARS, DIBERT, BURKE

  6. 2025-05-12 1136

    (H) RES RPT CS(RES) 5DP 1NR 3AM

  7. 2025-05-09 Min

    (H) Minutes (HRES)

  8. 2025-05-09 Text

    (H) Moved CSHB 191(RES) Out of Committee -- Delayed to 20 min. Following Session --

  9. 2025-05-09 Text

    (H) RESOURCES at 01:00 PM BARNES 124

  10. 2025-05-05 Text

    (H) Heard & Held

  11. 2025-05-05 Text

    (H) RESOURCES at 01:00 PM BARNES 124

  12. 2025-04-14 719

    (H) RES, FIN

  13. 2025-04-14 719

    (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

Official Summary Text

INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT
An Act establishing the Alaska Invasive Species Council in the Department of Fish and Game; relating to management of invasive species; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HB0191b -1- CSHB 191(RES)
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CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 191(RES)

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION

BY THE HOUSE RESOURCES COMMITTEE

Offered: 5/12/25
Referred: Finance

Sponsor(s): REPRESENTATIVES HIMSCHOOT, Bynum, Hannan, Gray
A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act establishing the Alaska Invasive Species Council in the Department of Fish and 1
Game; relating to management of invasive species; and providing for an effective date." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 16.20 is amended by adding new sections to read: 4
Article 6. Management of Invasive Species. 5
Sec. 16.20.800. Alaska Invasive Species Council. (a) The Alaska Invasive 6
Species Council is an advisory coun cil established in the depar tment to facilitate 7
efforts by the department, the Department of Natural Resources, t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f 8
Environmental Conservation, the Department of Transportation an d Public Facilities, 9
and other natural-resource-related governmental entities operat ing in the state to 10
manage invasive species in the state by 11
(1) facilitating cooperation betwee n state, federal, tribal, a nd local 12
agencies and nongovernmental organizations; 13
(2) assisting in coordination of activities to manage invasive species, 14
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CSHB 191(RES) -2- HB0191b
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including those undertaken by local governments and nongovernmental organizations; 1
(3) recommending coordinated interagency strategies and polici es 2
related to management of invasive species, including 3
(A) importation, possession, and use of invasive species; 4
(B) classification and listing of non-native species; and 5
(C) management of pathways associated with transfer of 6
invasive species; 7
(4) upon request of a state agency, providing guidance on prio ritizing 8
the state agency's responses to occurrences of invasive species and how funds made 9
available under AS 16.20.820 may be best used; 10
(5) recommending expenditures from the invasive species respon se 11
fund; 12
(6) providing technical informa tion and assistance to persons engaged 13
in regional and national invasive species management efforts. 14
(b) Except as provided in (c) of this section, the council consists of 15
(1) the following members appointed by the governor to three-y ear 16
terms: 17
( A ) a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f t h e University of Alaska who is 18
involved in research relating to, or management of, invasive species; 19
(B) a representative of an Alaska tribal entity who is involve d 20
in management of invasive species; 21
( C ) a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f a s t a t e w i d e o r g a n i z a t i o n f o c u s e d o n 22
prevention, detection, and management of invasive species; 23
(D) a representative of an organization involved with 24
prevention, detection, and management of marine invasive species in the state; 25
(E) a representative involved in invasive species management 26
through a soil and water conser vation district established unde r AS 41.10.130, 27
a conservation district establishe d by an Alaska Native organiz ation, or an 28
organization concerned with the health of watersheds in the state; 29
(2) one member of the house of representatives appointed by th e 30
speaker of the house of representatives; 31
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HB0191b -3- CSHB 191(RES)
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(3) one member of the senate appointed by the president of the senate; 1
(4) the commissioner of each of the following departments or t he 2
commissioner's designee: 3
(A) the Department of Fish and Game; 4
(B) the Department of Natural Resources; 5
(C) the Department of Environmental Conservation; 6
(D) the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. 7
(c) Members of the council serving under (b)(2) - (4) of this section serve as 8
nonvoting members. The council may, as the council finds necess ary, invite additional 9
persons to be nonvoting advisory m embers of the council. The co uncil may invite 10
representatives or members of federal entities, local governmen t organizations, tribal 11
governments, institutions of higher learning in the state, and other organizations with 12
expertise relating to invasive species to join the council unde r this subsection. The 13
council may prescribe procedures for the participation of perso ns added to the council 14
under this subsection. 15
(d) The council shall adopt bylaws to govern its operation. Th e bylaws must 16
provide procedures for 17
(1) decision making; and 18
(2) establishing subcommittees and advisory committees. 19
(e) The council shall elect a cha ir and vice chair from among the members 20
appointed under (b)(1) of this section. The council shall meet at least quarterly at the 21
call of the chair. A majority of the voting members of the coun cil constitute a quorum. 22
Meetings and council votes may be held by audio or video teleconference. 23
(f) Members of the council serve without compensation and are not entitled to 24
per diem and travel expenses. H owever, a member appointed under (b)(4) of this 25
section is entitled to per diem and travel expenses as a state employee. 26
(g) By January 15 of each odd-num bered year, the council shall prepare and 27
present to the legislature an updated five-year strategic plan that addresses the effects 28
of invasive species on the state's natural resources and econom y, states the council's 29
suggested priorities for addressing invasive species, and recom mends legislation and 30
funding required to implement t he council's priorities. The cou ncil shall transmit the 31
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strategic plan to the senate secretary and the chief clerk of t he house of representatives 1
and notify the legislature that the plan is available. 2
(h) By January 15 of each year, the council shall prepare and present an 3
annual report on invasive species active in the state, the effects of the activity, and any 4
measures taken to manage invasive species. The report must incl ude other issues and 5
concerns related to invasive sp ecies that the council determine s are of value to 6
policymakers. The council shall submit the report to the govern or, the department, the 7
Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Environmental Conservation, the 8
Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, and the sen ate secretary and chief 9
clerk of the house of representa tives, and notify the legislatu re that the report is 10
available. 11
(i) Council members appointed unde r (b)(1) of this section ser ve staggered 12
three-year terms and until a successor is appointed. A vacancy on the council shall be 13
filled in the same manner as the original appointment. If a vac ancy occurs, the 14
governor shall appoint a member for the unexpired portion of th e term within 60 days 15
after the occurrence of the vacancy. 16
Sec. 16.20.810. Invasive species response fund. The invasive species 17
response fund is established as an account in the general fund. The fund consists of 18
appropriations made to the fund. Money appropriated to the fund does not lapse. The 19
department may use money appropr iated to the fund to manage inv asive species, 20
without further appropriation. 21
Sec. 16.20.850. Definitions. In AS 16.20.800 - 16.20.850, 22
(1) "council" means the Alaska Invasive Species Council; 23
(2) "department" means the Department of Fish and Game; 24
(3) "invasive species" means a non-native species the introduction of 25
which causes or is likely to cause economic harm, environmental h a r m , o r h a r m t o 26
human health; 27
(4) "manage invasive species" means to take actions to prevent o r 28
minimize harmful effects of invasive species on the economy, th e environment, public 29
health, infrastructure, and cultural heritage; 30
(5) "non-native species" includes any biological material capa ble of 31
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HB0191b -5- CSHB 191(RES)
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propagating a species that is not native to the state or an ecosystem in the state. 1
* Sec. 2. AS 16.20.800, 16.20.810, and 16.20.850 are repealed July 1, 2035. 2
* Sec. 3. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 3
read: 4
APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS AND CHAIR AND TIMING AND NUMBER OF 5
MEETINGS REQUIRED IN INITIAL YEAR. (a) Notwithstanding AS 16.20 .810(i), added 6
by sec. 1 of this Act, the governor shall appoint the initial m embers of the Alaska Invasive 7
Species Council required under AS 16.20.800(b)(1) within 60 day s after the effective date of 8
this Act. The governor shall appoint the members to staggered terms as follows: 9
(1) two members shall be appointed to three-year terms; 10
(2) two members shall be appointed to two-year terms; and 11
(3) one member shall be appointed to a one-year term. 12
(b) Notwithstanding AS 16.20.800(e), added by sec. 1 of this Act, the Alaska Invasive 13
Species Council shall 14
(1) hold its first meeting with in 90 days after the appointmen t of members 15
under (a) of this section; and 16
(2) meet at least four times in the 12 months following the ap pointment of 17
members under (a) of this section. 18
* Sec. 4. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 19