House approves stricter hunting residency rules in divided vote

The Alaska House of Representatives voted to approve stricter residency requirements for hunting and fishing licenses. The vote was 24-16, one of the most divided of the session. The House concurred with Senate changes to House Bill 93.

House Bill 93 creates a new enforceable standard for residency for hunting, trapping, and sport fishing purposes. The Senate changed the effective date to January 1, 2028. That gives Alaskans more than a year to adjust before the requirements take effect. Representative Rebecca Himschoot sponsored the measure. She said the delay gives Alaskans a year to adjust to the new standard and gives time to think about whether to add anybody else for exemptions in the dividend.

The bill tightens the definition of residency beyond the current standard. Current law requires maintaining a domicile in the state for 12 consecutive months and not claiming residency elsewhere. Under the new law, residents would need to be physically present in Alaska for at least 180 days per year. The bill ties resident eligibility to AS 16.05.415, the statute governing Permanent Fund Dividend residency. It retains exemptions for allowable absences such as military service and education.

Himschoot said the measure addresses enforcement challenges with the existing domicile standard. That standard can include temporary arrangements such as trailers or rented rooms. The bill aligns hunting and fishing residency more closely with Permanent Fund Dividend eligibility requirements. She said the bill is not intended to take away residency but to create a more enforceable standard.

Alaska offers lower license fees and higher bag limits to residents compared to nonresidents. The change means some current license holders who spend limited time in Alaska may lose resident status under the stricter standard. Permanent identification card holders would still need to meet the updated residency requirements to use those cards for hunting and fishing. The Alaska Board of Game has supported the measure, according to Himschoot.

The House also approved the effective date clause 33-7 in a separate vote.

The bill now moves to the governor for consideration.