Sponsor Statement for HB 168

Protecting Traditional Access on State Lands

House Bill 168 follows up on the efforts of this Legislature to ensure the general public continues to have reasonable access to the land and resources they own. This legislation protects public access from arbitrary closures by the Department of Fish and Game and the Boards of Fish and Game.

Last year the House and Senate passed HB 23 and SB 35 which dealt with public lands and state park lands respectively. This past interim the Board of Game generated a set of proposals to inquire into whether motorized access should be allowed in Game Management Unit 13. Although at public hearings it was well demonstrated that the majority of Alaskans support access for hunting and fishing, the Board of Game at its November hearing on this issue appointed a special committee to explore this issue further.

Both HB 23 and SB 35 passed the House and Senate by solid majorities. The public’s fears that those lands remaining open to access at this time will also be closed are fed by actions such as those taken by the Board of Game this past year. HB 168, like HB 23 and SB 35 will require legislative approval of those closures that are made without sound evidence pertaining to public safety or biological concerns.