KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Alaska

HB33 • 2026

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: BDS FISHERIES/GAME

An Act relating to participation in matters before the Board of Fisheries and the Board of Game by the members of the respective boards; and providing for an effective date.

Elections
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
REPRESENTATIVES STUTES, Himschoot, Hannan
Last action
2026-04-30
Official status
CHAPTER 2 SLA 26
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The source text does not specify what happens if no determination is made by the supervisor or board members regarding whether participation violates the law.

Rules for Board of Fisheries and Game Members with Financial Interests

This law allows members of the Alaska Board of Fisheries or Board of Game to discuss matters involving their own financial interests in fish or game businesses, but they cannot vote on those specific issues if a supervisor or majority of other board members say it would break conflict rules.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows members of the Board of Fisheries and Board of Game who have disclosed personal or financial interests to discuss and participate in meetings about fish or game resources.
  • Requires these members to write down their interest and share it with a designated supervisor and the attorney general.
  • Stops board members from voting on matters where they have an interest if a supervisor or majority of other board members decide further involvement would violate conflict laws.
  • Keeps existing rules that ban public officers from using state resources for personal gain, partisan politics, or to affect matters in which they have a financial interest.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Members of the Alaska Board of Fisheries
  • Members of the Alaska Board of Game

Terms To Know

Conflict of Interest
A situation where a person's personal or financial interests might influence their official duties.
Deliberating
Discussing, debating, and considering an issue before making a decision.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law only applies to the Board of Fisheries and the Board of Game; other boards follow different rules.
  • Board members can discuss issues with financial ties but may be stopped from voting if officials decide it breaks conflict laws.
  • A supervisor or a majority vote by other board members is needed to determine if further involvement breaks the law.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-30 2350

    (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) OF LAW 4/30/26

  2. 2026-04-30 2350

    (H) SIGNED INTO LAW 4/29 CHAPTER 2 SLA 26

  3. 2026-04-29 2346

    (H) 4:55 P.M. 4/28/26 TRANSMITTED TO GOVERNOR

  4. 2026-04-24 2344

    (S) VERSION: HB 33

  5. 2026-04-24 2344

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

  6. 2026-04-24 2344

    (S) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  7. 2026-04-24 2344

    (S) PASSED Y15 N4 E1

  8. 2026-04-24 2344

    (S) READ THE THIRD TIME HB 33

  9. 2026-04-22 2323

    (S) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 4/24 CAL

  10. 2026-04-22 2323

    (S) READ THE SECOND TIME

  11. 2026-04-22 2323

    (S) RULES TO CALENDAR 4/22/2026

  12. 2026-03-27 2073

    (S) FN2: ZERO(DFG)

  13. 2026-03-27 2073

    (S) AM: KAWASAKI, WIELECHOWSKI

  14. 2026-03-27 2073

    (S) DP: GIESSEL, CLAMAN, DUNBAR, RAUSCHER, MYERS

  15. 2026-03-27 2073

    (S) RES RPT 5DP 2AM

  16. 2026-03-25 Text

    (S) Moved HB 33 Out of Committee

  17. 2026-03-25 Text

    (S) RESOURCES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  18. 2026-03-20 Min

    (S) Minutes (SRES)

  19. 2026-03-20 Text

    (S) <Bill Hearing Rescheduled to 03/25/26>

  20. 2026-03-20 Text

    (S) RESOURCES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  21. 2026-02-27 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  22. 2026-02-27 Text

    (S) RESOURCES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  23. 2026-02-18 1713

    (S) FN2: ZERO(DFG)

  24. 2026-02-18 1713

    (S) DP: OLSON, DUNBAR, GRAY-JACKSON

  25. 2026-02-18 1713

    (S) NR: MERRICK, YUNDT

  26. 2026-02-18 1713

    (S) CRA RPT 2NR 3DP

  27. 2026-02-17 Text

    (S) Moved HB 33 Out of Committee

  28. 2026-02-17 Text

    (S) COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  29. 2026-01-27 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  30. 2026-01-27 Text

    (S) COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS at 01:30 PM BELTZ 105 (TSBldg)

  31. 2025-05-14 1270

    (S) CRA, RES

  32. 2025-05-14 1270

    (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  33. 2025-05-13 1183

    (H) VERSION: HB 33

  34. 2025-05-13 1183

    (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)

  35. 2025-05-13 1182

    (H) COSPONSOR(S): HANNAN

  36. 2025-05-13 1177

    (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  37. 2025-05-13 1176

    (H) PASSED Y28 N12

  38. 2025-05-13 1176

    (H) READ THE THIRD TIME HB 33

  39. 2025-05-12 1139

    (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/13 CALENDAR

  40. 2025-05-12 1139

    (H) READ THE SECOND TIME

  41. 2025-05-12 1139

    (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/12/2025

  42. 2025-03-21 513

    (H) COSPONSOR(S): HIMSCHOOT

  43. 2025-03-21 500

    (H) FN1: ZERO(DFG)

  44. 2025-03-21 500

    (H) AM: SADDLER, ELAM, RAUSCHER

  45. 2025-03-21 500

    (H) NR: COULOMBE

  46. 2025-03-21 500

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

  47. 2025-03-21 500

    (H) RES RPT 5DP 1NR 3AM

  48. 2025-03-17 Min

    (H) Minutes (HRES)

  49. 2025-03-17 Text

    (H) Moved HB 33 Out of Committee

  50. 2025-03-17 Text

    (H) RESOURCES at 01:00 PM BARNES 124

  51. 2025-03-10 Text

    (H) -- Public Testimony <Time Limit May Be Set> -- -- MEETING CANCELED --

  52. 2025-03-10 Text

    (H) RESOURCES at 01:00 PM BARNES 124

  53. 2025-02-28 Min

    (H) Minutes (HRES)

  54. 2025-02-28 Text

    (H) Heard & Held

  55. 2025-02-28 Text

    (H) RESOURCES at 01:00 PM BARNES 124

  56. 2025-02-19 211

    (H) FN1: ZERO(DFG)

  57. 2025-02-19 211

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

  58. 2025-02-19 211

    (H) FSH RPT 7DP

  59. 2025-02-18 Min

    (H) Minutes (HFSH)

  60. 2025-02-18 Text

    (H) Moved HB 33 Out of Committee

  61. 2025-02-18 Text

    (H) FISHERIES at 10:00 AM GRUENBERG 120

  62. 2025-01-22 39

    (H) FSH, RES

  63. 2025-01-22 39

    (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  64. 2025-01-22 39

    (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/10/25

Official Summary Text

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: BDS FISHERIES/GAME
An Act relating to participation in matters before the Board of Fisheries and the Board of Game by the members of the respective boards; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Enrolled HB 33
LAWS OF ALASKA

2026

Source Chapter No.
HB 33 _______

AN ACT

Relating to participation in matters before the Board of Fisheries and the Board of Game by
the members of the respective boards; and providing for an effective date.

_______________

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

THE ACT FOLLOWS ON PAGE 1

-1- Enrolled HB 33

AN ACT

Relating to participation in matters before the Board of Fisheries and the Board of Game by 1
the members of the respective boards; and providing for an effective date. 2
_______________ 3
* Section 1. AS 39.52.120(b) is amended to read: 4
(b) A public officer may not 5
(1) seek other employment or contracts through the use or attempted 6
use of official position; 7
(2) accept, receive, or solicit compensation for the performance of 8
official duties or responsibilities from a person other than the state; 9
(3) use state time, property, equipment, or other facilities to benefit 10
personal or financial interests; 11
(4) except as provided in AS 39.52.220(c), take or withhold official 12
action in order to affect a matter in which the public officer has a personal or financial 13
interest; 14

Enrolled HB 33 -2-
(5) attempt to benefit a personal or financial interest through coercion 1
of a subordinate or require another public officer to perform services for the private 2
benefit of the public officer at any time; or 3
(6) use or authorize the use of state funds, facilities, equipment, 4
services, or another government asset or resource for partisan political purposes; this 5
paragraph does not prohibit use of the governor's residence for meetings to discuss 6
political strategy and does not prohibit use of state aircraft or the communications 7
equipment in the governor's residence so long as there is no charge to the state for the 8
use; in this paragraph, "for partisan political purposes" 9
(A) means having the intent to differentially benefit or harm a 10
(i) candidate or potential candidate for elective office; 11
or 12
(ii) political party or group; 13
(B) [BUT] does not include having the intent to benefit the 14
public interest at large through the normal performance of official duties. 15
* Sec. 2. AS 39.52.220(a) is amended to read: 16
(a) A member of a board or commission who is involved in a matter that may 17
result in a violation of AS 39.52.110 - 39.52.190 shall disclose the matter on the 18
public record and in writing to the designated supervisor and to the attorney general. 19
The supervisor shall determine whether the member's involvement violates 20
AS 39.52.110 - 39.52.190 and shall provide a copy of the written determination to the 21
board or commission member and to the attorney general. If a member of the board or 22
commission objects to the ruling of the supervisor, or if the supervisor discloses an 23
involvement requiring a determination, the members present at a meeting, excluding 24
the involved member, shall vote on the matter. Except as provided for a member of 25
the Board of Fisheries or the Board of Game in (c) of this section, if [IF] the 26
supervisor or a majority of the members voting determine that a violation will exist if 27
the member continues to participate, the member shall refrain from voting, 28
deliberating, or participating in the matter. 29
* Sec. 3. AS 39.52.220 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 30
(c) If a member of the Board of Fisheries or the Board of Game discloses a 31

-3- Enrolled HB 33
personal or financial interest relating to the involvement of the member, or an 1
immediate family member of that member, in a business or organization relating to 2
fish or game resources, the member is not disqualified from deliberating or 3
participating in the matter. If the supervisor or a majority of the members of the 4
respective board determine that the member's further involvement will result in a 5
violation of AS 39.52.110 - 39.52.190, the board member may not vote on the matter. 6
* Sec. 4. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 7