03/05/2003 09:02 AM Senate FIN

                                                                                                                                
     SENATE BILL NO. 20                                                                                                         
     "An Act extending the termination date of the Board of Marine                                                              
     Pilots; and providing for an effective date."                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
This was  the second  hearing for  this bill in  the Senate  Finance                                                            
Committee.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Wilken informed  the Committee that this legislation would:                                                            
extend the sunset date  for the Board of Marine Pilots; maintain the                                                            
use  of marine  pilots on  inland  and coastal  waterways;  regulate                                                            
licensing  and training  of  marine pilots;  and  regulate fees.  He                                                            
conveyed that the Division  of Legislative Audit recommends that the                                                            
Board be extended to June 30, 2007.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
Co-chair  Wilken informed  that  the proposed  committee  substitute                                                            
requires drug  testing of marine pilots,  extension of the  Board to                                                            
June 30,  2007, and exempts  Canadian Navy  and Coast Guard  vessels                                                            
from the marine pilot requirement.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Green moved to  adopt CS SB 20,  23-LS0274\I as a  working                                                            
draft.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
There being no  objections, the Committee Substitute  was ADOPTED as                                                            
a working draft.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Olson asked  whether language  relating  to vessel  length,                                                            
specifically yachts, is included in the committee substitute.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Wilken  clarified that, subsequent  to the first  Committee                                                            
hearing on  this bill, it  was determined  that yacht owners  should                                                            
meet with  the US  Coast Guard  to address  concerns regarding  such                                                            
issues as  the requirement  for marine pilots  to be onboard  yachts                                                            
exceeding  a specified  length. He  stated that  the issue would  be                                                            
addressed  in separate legislation  provided  that yacht owners  and                                                            
the US Coast Guard effectively address the issue.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Senator Olson remarked that this issue must be resolved.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Co-chair  Wilken asserted  that melding the  Coast Guard's  concerns                                                            
with the  potential  for economic  growth resulting  from  increased                                                            
yacht traffic in the State  is a "compelling" situation. However, he                                                            
reemphasized  that  yacht owners  must address  the  issue with  the                                                            
Coast Guard.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Green  moved  to  report  the  bill  from  Committee  with                                                            
individual recommendations and accompanying fiscal note.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
There  being  no  objection,  CS  for  SB  20  (FIN)  REPORTED  from                                                            
Committee  with  a previous  $111,500  fiscal  note  dated  February                                                            
5,2003 from  the Department of Community  and Economic Development.