2001-04-29                     House Journal                      Page 1356
HB 260                                                                                            
The Finance Committee has considered:                                                               
                                                                                                    
     HOUSE BILL NO. 260                                                                             
     "An Act requiring the owners or operators of certain passenger                                 
     vessels operating in the marine waters of the state to register the                            
     vessels; establishing information-gathering, record keeping, and                               
     reporting requirements relating to the vessels' graywater and                                  
     sewage; prohibiting the discharge of untreated sewage from the                                 
     vessels unless exempted; placing limits on discharges of treated                               
     sewage and graywater from the vessels unless exempted;                                         
     establishing a commercial passenger vessel coastal protection                                  
     fund; establishing a fee on commercial passenger vessels, that are                             
     not exempt from the fee, for each voyage during which the vessels                              
     operate in the marine waters of the state based on the overnight                               
     accommodation capacity of the vessels determined with reference                                
     to the number of lower berths; establishing penalties for failure to                           
     comply with certain laws relating to the vessels; authorizing the                              
     Department of Environmental Conservation to encourage and                                      

2001-04-29                     House Journal                      Page 1357
     recognize superior environmental protection efforts related to                                 
     commercial passenger vessels; authorizing exemptions from some                                 
     laws relating to discharges from the vessels and from the fee                                  
     requirements related to the vessels; requiring a report from the                               
     Department of Environmental Conservation concerning matters                                    
     relating to the vessels; and providing for an effective date."                                 
                                                                                                    
and recommends it be replaced with:                                                                 
                                                                                                    
     CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 260(FIN)                                                                 
     "An Act requiring the owners or operators of certain passenger                                 
     vessels operating in the marine waters of the state to register the                            
     vessels; establishing information-gathering, record keeping, and                               
     reporting requirements relating to the vessels' graywater,                                     
     hazardous substances, hazardous wastes, and sewage; prohibiting                                
     the discharge of untreated sewage from the vessels unless                                      
     exempted; placing limits on discharges of treated sewage and                                   
     graywater from the vessels unless exempted; providing that there                               
     is no audit report privilege for complying with a requirement that                             
     the owner or operator of a commercial passenger vessel must                                    
     report discharges of sewage or graywater that violate laws;                                    
     establishing a commercial passenger vessel coastal protection                                  
     fund; establishing a fee on commercial passenger vessels, that are                             
     not exempt from the fee, for each voyage during which the vessels                              
     operate in the marine waters of the state based on the overnight                               
     accommodation capacity of the vessels determined with reference                                
     to the number of lower berths; establishing penalties for failure to                           
     comply with certain laws relating to the vessels; authorizing the                              
     Department of Environmental Conservation to encourage and                                      
     recognize superior environmental protection efforts related to                                 
     commercial passenger vessels; authorizing exemptions from some                                 
     laws relating to discharges from the vessels and from the fee                                  
     requirements related to the vessels; authorizing the Department of                             
     Environmental Conservation to adopt regulations to implement                                   
     laws relating to commercial passenger vessels and directing the                                
     department to use negotiated regulation procedures, when                                       
     appropriate, to develop the regulations; requiring a report from the                           
     Department of Environmental Conservation concerning matters                                    
     relating to the vessels; and providing for an effective date."                                 
                                                                                                    

2001-04-29                     House Journal                      Page 1358
The report was signed by Representatives Mulder and Williams, Co-                                   
chairs, with the following individual recommendations:                                              
                                                                                                    
Do pass (5):  Whitaker, Harris, Foster, Mulder, Williams                                            
                                                                                                    
No recommendation (2):  Bunde, Hudson                                                               
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
The following fiscal note(s) apply to CSHB 260(FIN):                                                
                                                                                                    
1.  Fiscal, Dept. of Environmental Conservation                                                     
                                                                                                    
HB 260 is on today's calendar.