HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 6603

             As Reported By House Committee On:

               Transportation Policy & Budget

Title:  An act relating to exceptions from vessel registration.

Brief Description:  Excepting certain vessels from registration.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Horn, Spanel, Oke and Wood).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Transportation Policy & Budget:  2/23/98, 2/26/98 [DPA].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION POLICY & BUDGET

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  Signed by 23 members:  Representatives K. Schmidt, Chairman; Hankins, Vice Chairman; Mielke, Vice Chairman; Mitchell, Vice Chairman; Fisher, Ranking Minority Member; Cooper, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Backlund; Buck; Constantine; DeBolt; Gardner; Hatfield; Johnson; McCune; O'Brien; Radcliff; Robertson; Romero; Scott; Skinner; Sterk; Wood and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Jennifer Hanlon (786-7316).

Background:  Vessels owned by nonresidents, used for personal use and enjoyment, and validly registered in another state or country are allowed to remain in Washington for no more than six months before being required to register their vessels with the state of Washington.  Vessels used in nontransitory business are excluded from this exemption.

Summary of Amended Bill:  To receive the current six-month exemption from registration, vessels must have been issued a valid registration number under federal law or by an approved issuing authority of the state of principal operation.  The requirement that vessels be registered in another country is eliminated.  Without this change, Canadian vessels remaining in Washington for more than six months would begin receiving tickets March 2, 1998.

International vessels must pay a $25 permit fee to the Department of Licensing (DOL).

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:  International vessels must pay a $25 permit fee to the Department of Licensing (DOL).

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date of Amended Bill:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  This legislation corrects a provision of law which conflicts with a law enacted in 1989.  The state will lose business brought by foreign vessels without this technical correction.  Without an emergency clause, Canadian vessels will begin receiving tickets on March 2, 1998.  This could have an adverse impact on local marinas.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Senator Jim Horn, prime sponsor; Cliff Webster, attorney; Bruce Gustafson, Point Roberts Marina; Dale Jensen, Semiahmoo Marina; Bill Wood, attorney representing Point Roberts/Semiahmoo Marinas; and Jim Wadsworth, Department of Licensing.