A comprehensive wildlife management bill faced resistance from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game over provisions banning personal watercraft in Kachemak Bay during a House Resources Committee hearing Tuesday. House Bill 321, sponsored by Representative Andy Josephson, would reclassify state game refuges, sanctuaries and critical habitat areas into simplified "wildlife refuge" and "wildlife sanctuary" designations. The bill would also add 688 acres to Creamer's Field refuge and formally close McNeil area to brown bear hunting. **Department Opposition to Jet Ski Ban** Commissioner Vincent Lang testified that while ADF&G supports boundary corrections and name changes, the department opposes the personal watercraft prohibition. "Jet skis are no more impactful than other equipment currently allowed in the bay," Lang said, noting the Alaska Supreme Court previously upheld ADF&G's decision to allow the watercraft. The personal watercraft ban in Kachemak Bay remains one of the most contentious aspects of the legislation. The department maintains that the watercraft pose no greater environmental impact than other recreational vehicles currently permitted in the area. **Public Testimony Indicates Support Despite Controversy** Public testimony indicated support for the bill. Public Testifier Nancy Lord of Homer testified that the administration's process to remove the jet ski ban "was deeply flawed." A representative of the Kachemak Bay State Park Citizens Advisory Board said most public comments opposed rescinding the ban. Josephson noted that his office has received substantial public support for the legislation, with numerous letters backing the proposal. He emphasized that much of what the bill accomplishes was previously passed by the legislature during the 2017-18 term with overwhelming majorities, including a 35-5 vote in the House. **Legislative Concerns and Complexity** A legislator raised concerns about potential hunting and fishing access restrictions, while Representative Dan Saddler requested more time to review the "extraordinarily large bill." Saddler expressed frustration with the complexity of cross-referencing the 80-plus page bill with more than 20 maps and supporting documents. "This is an extraordinarily large bill and we have had a lot of new material," Saddler said, noting that while he appreciated the sponsor's efforts to provide better maps, the documents lacked pagination and clear connections to specific bill sections. Josephson responded that a March 17 memo distributed to the committee highlighted where the maps relate to each section of the bill, though Saddler indicated he had only received the memo that morning. **Bill Details and Cost** The legislation would cost approximately $45,000 to update signs statewide to reflect the new designations. Beyond the controversial jet ski ban, the bill includes provisions clarifying that Fish and Game would not regulate private lands adjoining refuges, addressing concerns from private landowners. The committee took no action, with Chair Mike Prax expressing concern that controversial provisions could doom the entire measure. The bill represents years of work by Josephson's office, which funded professional mapmaking out of office funds to address committee concerns about documentation quality.