HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 ESHB 2617

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to vessels providing excursion services.

Brief Description:  Extending regulation of excursion cruise services.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Radcliff and Morris).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Transportation:  1/25/00, 1/27/00 [DPS].

Floor Activity:

Passed House:  2/10/00, 91-0.

Passed Senate:  2/28/00, 43-0.

Passed Legislature.

      Brief Summary of Engrossed Substitute Bill

$Extends the current requirement that only carriers with a certificate of public convenience and necessity may provide vessel excursion service in Washington.

$Directs the Legislative Transportation Committee to review vessel excursion service with input from interested parties.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 22 members:  Representatives Fisher, Democratic Co-Chair; Mitchell, Republican Co-Chair; Cooper, Democratic 1st Vice Chair; Edwards, Democratic 2nd Vice Chair; Ericksen, Republican Vice Chair; Hankins, Republican Vice Chair; Fortunato; Haigh; Hatfield; Hurst; Lovick; McDonald; Mielke; Ogden; Pflug; Radcliff; Romero; Schindler; Scott; Skinner; Wood and Woods.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 1 member:  Representative Morris.

Staff:  Paul Neal (786-7315).

Background:

In 1995, the Legislature passed Chapter 361, Laws of 1995, which enacted a limited prohibition against any vessel owner providing excursion service in Washington unless the owner had obtained a certificate of public convenience and necessity from the Utilities and Transportation Commission.  The 1995 law was set to expire on January 1, 2001.

Summary of Bill:

Extends the current limited prohibition on excursion service until July 1, 2002.  Directs the Legislative Transportation Committee to review the legal restrictions on excursion service as part of the task force on the utilities and transportation committee.  The committee is directed to seek input from interested parties.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Extension of the limitation is necessary to provide for the time needed to study the policy for distinguishing between excursion service and regularly scheduled ferry service.

Testimony Against:  Overnight cruise ship operators were concerned that the study not be construed to include their activities.

Testified:  (Support) Jim Boldt, Clipper Navigation; and Paul Curl, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission.

  (With concerns) Randy Ray, U.S. Cruise Ship Association.