03/13/2007 01:30 PM Senate LABOR & COMMERCE

                 HB 108-BOARD OF MARINE PILOTS                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ELLIS announced CSHB 108(L&C) to be up for consideration.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
AL CLOUGH,  Chair of the Board of  Marine Pilots, said  he is also                                                              
Deputy Commissioner  for the Department  of Commerce,  Community &                                                              
Economic Development  (DCCED). He  said the board  fully supported                                                              
this bill as written.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  ELLIS   asked  if   the  Legislative  Auditor   recommended                                                              
extending the board.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
MR. CLOUGH answered yes.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
PAT DAVIDSON,  Legislative Auditor,  said she recommended  that it                                                              
have only  a six-year extension  because she identified  operation                                                              
issues she  thought the board  needed to  deal with. One  of those                                                              
is making better progress on rate-setting issues.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
2:55:31 PM                                                                                                                    
PAUL  FUHS, Southwest  Pilots Association,  said  he would  answer                                                              
question  they might  have. He gave  a brief  overview saying  the                                                              
board  maintains its  balance of  two pilots,  two agents  and two                                                              
public  members. It  sets training,  points  of pick  up and  also                                                              
sets  a tariff  that can  be challenged.  It is  a required  state                                                              
activity  to have  a pilot  so they can't  go on  strike and  stop                                                              
commerce. He supported the bill.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ELLIS said  he would hold HB  108 for a meeting  in the near                                                              
future.  There  being  no  further business  to  come  before  the                                                              
committee, he adjourned the meeting at 2:57:36 PM.