News Update, April 30, 2007
Two Legislative Issues Need Tourism's Voice Today
Two important bills to Alaska's tourism industry are moving quickly through the legislature and can use your support today. Each of the following is expected to reach the house floor for a vote tomorrow, May 1.
We encourage you to take a few minutes to contact your legislative representatives by sending a public opinion message or phone or e-mail your legislators directly.
HB 217:"An Act relating to required onboard disclosures and displays about tours, flightseeing operations, other shoreside activities, and visitors bureaus; and providing for an effective date." Read full Bill >>
As written, the Cruise Ship Ballot measure requires disclosure of commission rates that tour operators pay to have their tours sold onboard the ships. This poses a significant threat to Alaskan businesses that work with the cruise lines. The required disclosure exposes the price structures of these local businesses, which could lead to price undercutting, and creates an disadvantage that no other business sector is being forced to comply with.
HB 217 modifies the disclosure requirements created by the Cruise Ship Ballot Initiative that passed in August 2006. By amending the serious flaws created by the over-broad ballot initiative, HB 217 provides consumers with useful information, but not proprietary information about individual Alaskan tour operators.
HB 164:"An Act relating to reporting of vessel location by certain commercial passenger vessels operating in the marine waters of the state, to access to vessels by licensed marine engineers for purposes of monitoring compliance with state and federal requirements, and to the obligations of those engineers while aboard the vessels; and providing for an effective date." Read full Bill >>
Another part of the Cruise Ship Ballot Initiative created a new classification of state employees - "Ocean Rangers" - licensed marine engineers that ride cruise ships to monitor information the ships are required to submit.
HB 164 is designed to allow Ocean Rangers the opportunity to board vessels in port, rather than create full-time state employees to ride aboard cruise ships. The Department of Environmental Conservation has testified that Ocean Rangers are unnecessary as the program that has been in effect for five seasons is working as intended. HB 164 follows one of DEC's recommendations to have a limited Ocean Ranger program with the Rangers boarding while the ships are in port.
