FISHING GUIDE LICENSING/PERMITS

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and digest do not provide specific details on how or when licensing procedures might be established.

Sport Fishing Guide Licensing

This act sets rules for licensing professional sport fishing guides in Alaska, including conditions for revoking licenses and the process for hearings.

What This Bill Does

• Allows the commissioner to establish a system to license professional sport fishing guides if deemed necessary.
• Specifies that any revocation of a guide's license must occur after providing notice and an opportunity for a hearing.
• Determines that these hearings will be conducted by the Office of Administrative Hearings, with decisions being final administrative orders subject to judicial review.

Who It Names or Affects

• Professional sport fishing guides in Alaska
• The Department of Natural Resources

Terms To Know

Commissioner

A high-ranking official who oversees a government department or agency, such as the one responsible for natural resources.

Administrative Hearing

A formal meeting where someone can argue their case before an administrative law judge about decisions made by government agencies.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what 'cause' means for revoking a license.
• It is unclear when and how the commissioner will establish licensing procedures.

Official Summary Text

FISHING GUIDE LICENSING/PERMITS
An Act relating to sport fishing guides.

Current Bill Text

HB0361a -1- HB 361
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS1424\N

HOUSE BILL NO. 361

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - SECOND SESSION

BY REPRESENTATIVE RUFFRIDGE

Introduced: 2/23/26
Referred: House Special Committee on Fisheries, Labor and Commerce

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to sport fishing guides." 1
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 2
* Section 1. AS 41.21.506 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 3
(f) If the commissioner establishes a licensing or comparable procedure for 4
professional fishing guides in regulation under (b)(2) of this section, the license or 5
comparable permit may be revoked only for cause after giving the licensee or 6
comparable permit holder notice of the reason for revocation and an opportunity for 7
hearing. A hearing under this subsection shall be conducted by the office of 8
administrative hearings (AS 44.64.010), and the hearing officer's decision is a final 9
administrative order, subject to judicial review under AS 44.62.560 and 44.62.570. 10
Nothing in this subsection prohibits the commissioner from suspending all licenses or 11
comparable permits that may be issued under (b)(2) of this section. 12
* Sec. 2. AS 44.62.330(a) is amended by adding a new paragraph to read: 13
(47) Department of Natural Resources, as to revocation of a 14
professional fishing guide's license under AS 41.21.506. 15