FINAL BILL REPORT

                  HB 1815

                     Synopsis as Enacted

                         C 184 L 93

Brief Description:  Recodifying vessel operation provisions.

Representatives Rust and Valle.

House Committee on Environmental Affairs

Senate Committee on Ecology & Parks

Background:  As part of the Oil Spill Prevention and Response Act of 1991, the Legislature made reckless operation of a tank vessel and operation of a tank vessel while under the influence of drugs or alcohol a crime.  These criminal provisions were codified as part of the Revised Code of Washington chapter governing pilotage.  This chapter excludes from coverage certain vessels that are under enrollment or United States or Canadian vessels engaged in the coasting trade.  This exemption creates a potential that a person operating a tank vessel which is exempt from the pilotage provisions might not be subject to the criminal penalties for reckless operation of a tank vessel or operation of a tank vessel while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Summary:  The statutes establishing the crimes of reckless operation of a tank vessel and operation of a tank vessel while under the influence of drugs or alcohol are recodified as part of the oil spill prevention and response statutes, thus ensuring that persons operating tank vessels that are exempt from the state's pilotage laws will be subject to the same criminal penalties for violations of the law as other tank vessel operators.

Votes on Final Passage:

House  97 0

Senate 42 0

Effective:  July 25, 1993