This bill amends AS 16.05.300 regarding the meeting requirements for the Board of Fisheries in Alaska. It stipulates that each board must hold at least one meeting annually, with the flexibility to schedule additional meetings as deemed necessary. The Board of Fisheries is specifically required to conduct at least one meeting or hearing each year in a community with fewer than 7,000 residents that is located off the interconnected state road system. Furthermore, the board must hold at least one additional meeting or hearing in designated general areas, which include Upper Yukon - Kuskokwim - Arctic, Western Alaska, Southcentral, Prince William Sound (now including Kodiak), and Southeast (now including Yakutat).

The bill also makes several changes to the language of the existing law. It replaces the phrase "each board shall hold at least one meeting a year" with "subject to (b) of this section, each," and modifies the requirements for the Board of Fisheries by removing the previous specification of "including Kodiak" and replacing it with "Kodiak" in the context of Prince William Sound. Additionally, it clarifies the areas where the board must hold meetings by explicitly listing them and ensuring that the language reflects the inclusion of Yakutat. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
HB0368A, AM HB 368, introduced 02/23/2026: 16.05.300