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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.

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 candidate explanation includes details about penalties and enforcement that are not supported by the official source material.

Conflict of Interest Rules for Fisheries and Game Boards

This act sets rules to prevent conflicts of interest when members of the Board of Fisheries or the Board of Game participate in matters related to fish or game resources.

What This Bill Does

  • It stops board members from using their official positions to get personal benefits, like jobs or contracts.
  • Board members cannot accept money for doing their job unless it's from the state.
  • Members can't use state property or equipment for personal gain.
  • If a member has a personal interest in a matter before the board, they must disclose this and may not vote on that issue if it could cause a conflict of interest.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Members of the Board of Fisheries and the Board of Game

Terms To Know

Conflict of Interest
A situation where someone's personal interests might affect their ability to make fair decisions in their official role.
Board of Fisheries and Game
Government bodies that manage fish and wildlife resources in Alaska.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act does not specify what happens if a member violates these rules.
  • It is unclear how the new rules will be enforced or monitored.

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. 2026-04-21 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 Text

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

  19. 2026-03-20 Text

    (S) RESOURCES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  20. 2026-02-27 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  21. 2026-02-27 Text

    (S) RESOURCES at 03:30 PM BUTROVICH 205

  22. 2026-02-18 1713

    (S) FN2: ZERO(DFG)

  23. 2026-02-18 1713

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

  24. 2026-02-18 1713

    (S) NR: MERRICK, YUNDT

  25. 2026-02-18 1713

    (S) CRA RPT 2NR 3DP

  26. 2026-02-17 Text

    (S) Moved HB 33 Out of Committee

  27. 2026-02-17 Text

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

  28. 2026-01-27 Text

    (S) Heard & Held

  29. 2026-01-27 Text

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

  30. 2025-05-14 1270

    (S) CRA, RES

  31. 2025-05-14 1270

    (S) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  32. 2025-05-13 1183

    (H) VERSION: HB 33

  33. 2025-05-13 1183

    (H) TRANSMITTED TO (S)

  34. 2025-05-13 1182

    (H) COSPONSOR(S): HANNAN

  35. 2025-05-13 1177

    (H) EFFECTIVE DATE(S) SAME AS PASSAGE

  36. 2025-05-13 1176

    (H) PASSED Y28 N12

  37. 2025-05-13 1176

    (H) READ THE THIRD TIME HB 33

  38. 2025-05-12 1139

    (H) ADVANCED TO THIRD READING 5/13 CALENDAR

  39. 2025-05-12 1139

    (H) READ THE SECOND TIME

  40. 2025-05-12 1139

    (H) RULES TO CALENDAR 5/12/2025

  41. 2025-03-21 513

    (H) COSPONSOR(S): HIMSCHOOT

  42. 2025-03-21 500

    (H) FN1: ZERO(DFG)

  43. 2025-03-21 500

    (H) AM: SADDLER, ELAM, RAUSCHER

  44. 2025-03-21 500

    (H) NR: COULOMBE

  45. 2025-03-21 500

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

  46. 2025-03-21 500

    (H) RES RPT 5DP 1NR 3AM

  47. 2025-03-17 Min

    (H) Minutes (HRES)

  48. 2025-03-17 Text

    (H) Moved HB 33 Out of Committee

  49. 2025-03-17 Text

    (H) RESOURCES at 01:00 PM BARNES 124

  50. 2025-03-10 Text

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

  51. 2025-03-10 Text

    (H) RESOURCES at 01:00 PM BARNES 124

  52. 2025-02-28 Min

    (H) Minutes (HRES)

  53. 2025-02-28 Text

    (H) Heard & Held

  54. 2025-02-28 Text

    (H) RESOURCES at 01:00 PM BARNES 124

  55. 2025-02-19 211

    (H) FN1: ZERO(DFG)

  56. 2025-02-19 211

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

  57. 2025-02-19 211

    (H) FSH RPT 7DP

  58. 2025-02-18 Min

    (H) Minutes (HFSH)

  59. 2025-02-18 Text

    (H) Moved HB 33 Out of Committee

  60. 2025-02-18 Text

    (H) FISHERIES at 10:00 AM GRUENBERG 120

  61. 2025-01-22 39

    (H) FSH, RES

  62. 2025-01-22 39

    (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  63. 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