FINAL BILL REPORT

ESB 6194

PARTIAL VETO

C 22 L 01 E2

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Authorizing port districts to provide pilots in Grays Harbor.

Sponsors:  Senators Snyder, Hargrove and T. Sheldon.

Senate Committee on Transportation

Background: Currently, the persons who provide pilotage services in the Grays Harbor Navigation Channel are paid a fee per ship they pilot into port. With the decline in the timber industry, fewer ships use the Grays Harbor port. As a consequence, the two remaining pilot owners are threatening to leave Grays Harbor, thus leaving the only deep water port on the Pacific Coast without pilots.

Summary:  A countywide port district located within the Grays Harbor pilotage district is created.  It may begin pilotage service on or before June 30, 2001.

To be employed by a port district to perform pilotage services, a pilot must be licensed by the Board of Pilotage Commissioners (Board).  Before establishing pilotage services in the Grays Harbor pilotage district, a port district must provide 60 days written notice to the chair of the Board.

A port district requiring additional pilots may petition the Board to qualify and license as a pilot a person who has already passed the Grays Harbor pilotage district examination and is on the waiting list for its training program.

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee must conduct a study to determine the effectiveness of this legislation.  The study must be issued to the House and Senate Transportation committees no later than June 30, 2006.

Votes on Final Passage:

Second Special Session

Senate440

House     83 0

Effective:  July 13, 2001

Partial Veto Summary:  The study to be conducted by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee is removed.