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HB31 • 2026

VESSELS: REGISTRATION/DERELICT FUND

An Act relating to the registration of commercial vessels; and relating to the derelict vessel prevention program fund.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
REPRESENTATIVES STUTES, Kopp, Himschoot, Galvin, Schrage SENATORS Claman, Stedman, Stevens
Last action
2025-07-30
Official status
CHAPTER 23 SLA 25
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Alaska Commercial Vessel Registration and Derelict Fund Changes

This law updates rules for registering commercial boats in Alaska by adding an exemption for documented vessels with licenses, changes how leftover money from sold impounded boats is handled, and repeals the fund used to manage derelict vessel prevention.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a rule that exempts commercial vessels from state registration if they have a valid U.S. Coast Guard certificate of documentation and a required license under AS 16.05.490 or 16.05.530.
  • Changes the law so that any leftover money from selling an impounded boat goes to the general fund instead of the Derelict Vessel Prevention Program Fund if the owner cannot be found.
  • Repeals the laws that created and managed the Derelict Vessel Prevention Program Fund.
  • States that any remaining balance in the old derelict vessel fund will move into the general fund, but only if lawmakers approve spending for it.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Owners of commercial vessels operating in Alaska waters
  • State agencies and municipalities responsible for impounding or selling boats
  • The state government managing funds related to derelict vessel prevention

Terms To Know

Derelict Vessel Prevention Program Fund
A specific account used to manage money for abandoned or unwanted boats, which this law repeals.
Certificate of documentation
An official paper issued by the U.S. Coast Guard that proves a commercial vessel is registered with the federal government under 46 U.S.C. 12101-12121.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify how much money remains in the fund to be moved.
  • Moving funds depends on whether lawmakers approve spending, known as an appropriation.

Bill History

  1. 2025-07-30 1391

    (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW 10/22/25

  2. 2025-07-30 1391

    (H) LAW W/O GOV SIGNATURE 7/24 CHAPTER 23 SLA 25

  3. 2025-07-30 1367

    (H) 2:15 P.M. 7/1/25 TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR

  4. 2025-05-20 1370

    (S) VERSION: HB 31

  5. 2025-05-20 1370

    (S) RETURN TO (H), TRANSMIT TO GOV NEXT

  6. 2025-05-20 1370

    (S) PASSED Y19 N- A1

  7. 2025-05-20 1370

    (S) READ THE THIRD TIME HB 31

  8. 2025-05-19 1350

    (S) CROSS SPONSOR(S): CLAMAN, STEDMAN, STEVENS

  9. 2025-05-19 1344

    (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/20 CAL

  10. 2025-05-19 1344

    (S) READ THE SECOND TIME

  11. 2025-05-19 1344

    (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/19/2025

  12. 2025-05-14 Min

    (S) Minutes (SFIN)

  13. 2025-05-14 Text

    (S) Moved HB 31 Out of Committee

  14. 2025-05-14 Text

    (S) FINANCE at 09:00 AM SENATE FINANCE 532

  15. 2025-05-14 1273

    (S) FN4: ZERO(CED)

  16. 2025-05-14 1273

    (S) FN3: ZERO(DNR)

  17. 2025-05-14 1273

    (S) FN2: (ADM)

  18. 2025-05-14 1273

    (S) FN1: ZERO(DFG)

  19. 2025-05-14 1272

    (S) DP: OLSON, STEDMAN, HOFFMAN, KAUFMAN, CRONK, MERRICK, KIEHL

  20. 2025-05-14 1272

    (S) FIN RPT 7DP

  21. 2025-05-07 1151

    (S) FN4: ZERO(CED)

  22. 2025-05-07 1151

    (S) FN3: ZERO(DNR)

  23. 2025-05-07 1151

    (S) FN2: (ADM)

  24. 2025-05-07 1151

    (S) FN1: ZERO(DFG)

  25. 2025-05-07 1151

    (S) NR: TOBIN

  26. 2025-05-07 1151

    (S) DP: BJORKMAN, KIEHL

  27. 2025-05-07 1151

    (S) TRA RPT 2DP 1NR

  28. 2025-05-06 Min

    (S) Minutes (STRA)

  29. 2025-05-06 Text

    (S) Moved HB 31 Out of Committee

  30. 2025-05-06 Text

    (S) TRANSPORTATION at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  31. 2025-04-24 Min

    (S) Minutes (STRA)

  32. 2025-04-24 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  33. 2025-04-24 Text

    (S) TRANSPORTATION at 01:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  34. 2025-04-14 851

    (S) TRA, FIN

  35. 2025-04-14 851

    (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  36. 2025-04-11 708

    (H) VERSION: HB 31

  37. 2025-04-11 708

    (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)

  38. 2025-04-11 701

    (H) PASSED Y37 E3

  39. 2025-04-11 701

    (H) READ THE THIRD TIME HB 31

  40. 2025-04-09 650

    (H) COSPONSOR(S): GALVIN, SCHRAGE

  41. 2025-04-09 646

    (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 4/11 CALENDAR

  42. 2025-04-09 646

    (H) READ THE SECOND TIME

  43. 2025-04-09 646

    (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 4/9/2025

  44. 2025-03-14 460

    (H) FN4: ZERO(CED)

  45. 2025-03-14 460

    (H) FN3: ZERO(DNR)

  46. 2025-03-14 460

    (H) FN2: (ADM)

  47. 2025-03-14 460

    (H) FN1: ZERO(DFG)

  48. 2025-03-14 460

    (H) NR: JOHNSON, ALLARD, STAPP

  49. 2025-03-14 460

    (H) DP: BYNUM, HANNAN, TOMASZEWSKI, GALVIN, JIMMIE, FOSTER, JOSEPHSON, SCHRAGE

  50. 2025-03-14 460

    (H) FIN RPT 8DP 3NR

  51. 2025-03-12 Min

    (H) Minutes (HFIN)

  52. 2025-03-12 Text

    (H) Moved HB 31 Out of Committee -- Delayed to 2:30 PM --

  53. 2025-03-12 Text

    (H) FINANCE at 01:30 PM ADAMS 519

  54. 2025-03-11 Min

    (H) Minutes (HFIN)

  55. 2025-03-11 Text

    (H) Scheduled but Not Heard -- Delayed to 4:00 pm --

  56. 2025-03-11 Text

    (H) FINANCE at 01:30 PM ADAMS 519

  57. 2025-03-06 305

    (H) COSPONSOR(S): HIMSCHOOT

  58. 2025-03-04 Min

    (H) Minutes (HFSH)

  59. 2025-03-04 Text

    (H) -- Please Note Time Change --

  60. 2025-03-04 Text

    (H) FISHERIES at 10:30 AM GRUENBERG 120

  61. 2025-02-12 176

    (H) COSPONSOR(S): KOPP

  62. 2025-02-12 171

    (H) FN3: ZERO(DNR)

  63. 2025-02-12 171

    (H) FN2: (ADM)

  64. 2025-02-12 171

    (H) FN1: ZERO(DFG)

  65. 2025-02-12 171

    (H) DP: VANCE, KOPP, EDGMON, HIMSCHOOT, ELAM, MCCABE, STUTES

  66. 2025-02-12 171

    (H) FSH RPT 7DP

  67. 2025-02-11 Min

    (H) Minutes (HFSH)

  68. 2025-02-11 Text

    (H) Moved HB 31 Out of Committee

  69. 2025-02-11 Text

    (H) FISHERIES at 10:00 AM GRUENBERG 120

  70. 2025-02-06 Min

    (H) Minutes (HFSH)

  71. 2025-02-06 Text

    (H) Heard & Held -- Please Note Time Change --

  72. 2025-02-06 Text

    (H) FISHERIES at 11:00 AM GRUENBERG 120

  73. 2025-01-22 39

    (H) FSH, FIN

  74. 2025-01-22 39

    (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  75. 2025-01-22 39

    (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/10/25

Official Summary Text

VESSELS: REGISTRATION/DERELICT FUND
An Act relating to the registration of commercial vessels; and relating to the derelict vessel prevention program fund.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Enrolled HB 31
LAWS OF ALASKA

2025

Source Chapter No.
HB 31 _______

AN ACT

Relating to the registration of commercial vessels; and relatin g to the derelict vessel
prevention program fund.

_______________

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

THE ACT FOLLOWS ON PAGE 1

-1- Enrolled HB 31

AN ACT

Relating to the registration of commercial vessels; and relatin g to the derelict vessel 1
prevention program fund. 2
_______________ 3
* Section 1. AS 05.25.055(i) is amended to read: 4
( i ) T h e f o l l o w i n g b o a t s a r e e x e m p t f r o m t h e n u m b e r i n g a n d r e g istration 5
provisions of this section: 6
(1) a boat that 7
(A) is not a barge; 8
(B) is operated in this state for a period not exceeding 90 9
consecutive days; and 10
(C) has a current, valid certificate of number issued by anoth er 11
state having a federally approved numbering system; 12
(2) a foreign boat operated in water of the state for a period not 13
exceeding 90 consecutive days; 14

Enrolled HB 31 -2-
(3) a boat owned by the United States or an entity or politica l 1
subdivision of the United States, or a boat owned by a state or an entity or political 2
subdivision of a state; 3
(4) a boat that is not equipped with mechanical propulsion; 4
(5) a boat with a valid document to operate the boat that is i ssued by a 5
foreign government; 6
(6) a handmade nonmotorized umiaq with a walrus or sealskin 7
covering; 8
(7) a commercial vessel that has a valid 9
(A) certificate of documentation issued by the United States 10
Coast Guard under 46 U.S.C. 12101 - 12121; and 11
(B) license issued under AS 16.05.490 or 16.05.530; 12
(8) a boat that 13
(A) is a barge; 14
(B) is operated in this state for a period not exceeding 60 15
consecutive days; and 16
(C) has a current, valid certificate of number issued by anoth er 17
state having a federally approved numbering system. 18
* Sec. 2. AS 30.30.055(d) is amended to read: 19
(d) A state agency or municipalit y shall apply the proceeds fr om the sale of a 20
vessel under this chapter in the following order: 21
(1) to the administrative costs associated with impounding the vessel; 22
(2) to the costs of towing, handling, and storing the vessel; 23
(3) to the administrative costs of conducting the sale; 24
(4) to a lienholder to the extent of the lien; 25
(5) to the owner of the vessel if the owner can be found; if t he owner 26
cannot be found, the balance sh all be deposited into the general fund [DERELICT 27
VESSEL PREVENTION PROGRAM FUND UNDER AS 30.30.096]. 28
* Sec. 3. AS 30.30.095, 30.30.096; and AS 37.05.146(c)(79) are repealed. 29
* Sec. 4. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 30
read: 31

-3- Enrolled HB 31
TRANSITION. Subject to appropriation, the balance of the dereli ct vessel prevention 1
program fund established under AS 30.30.096 and repealed by sec . 3 of this Act lapses into 2
the general fund. 3