HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 6341

                 As Passed House - Amended:

                        March 4, 1998

Title:  An act relating to alternate operator licenses.

Brief Description:  Allowing certain charter boats to be operated by persons without an alternate operator's license in specific circumstances.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Parks (originally sponsored by Senator Snyder).

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Natural Resources:  2/25/98, 2/27/98 [DPA].

Floor Activity:

Passed House - Amended:  3/4/98, 97-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Buck, Chairman; Sump, Vice Chairman; Thompson, Vice Chairman; Regala, Ranking Minority Member; Butler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Alexander; Anderson; Chandler; Eickmeyer; Hatfield and Pennington.

Staff:  Carole Richmond (786-7114).

Background:  A commercial license is required to operate a charter boat.  When applying for a commercial license to operate a charter boat, the applicant may designate a vessel and up to two alternate operators.  A person who is not the holder of the commercial charter boat license may operate the vessel designated on the license only if:  (1) the person holds an alternate operator license; and (2) the person is designated as an alternate operator on the underlying commercial charter boat license.

Summary of Bill:  Licensed charter boat operators are permitted to designate persons who do not have an alternate operator's license to operate their charter boats.  The applicant for a commercial charter boat license need not designate a vessel to be used with the license or to designate an alternate operator at the time of application.  A person designated by a commercial charter boat license holder is not required to hold an alternate operator's license or to be designated on the underlying license as an alternate operator in order to operate the charter boat.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  Charter boats should never have been included in the commercial license requirement in the first place.  There's no reason for an alternate license requirement for charter boat operators.  All operators have to have a master operator's license from the U.S. Coast Guard, so there is no adverse effect on safety.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Mark Cedergreen, Westport Charter Boat Association; Ed Owens, Coalition of Coastal Fisheries; and Brian Edie, Department of Fish and Wildlife.