S-4655               _______________________________________________

                                   SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 8435

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Senators Talmadge, von Reichbauer and Moore

Read first time 2/2/90 and referred to Committee on Transportation.

WHEREAS, It is the policy of the state of Washington, as declared in the Pilotage Act, to prevent the loss of human lives, loss of property and vessels, and to protect the marine environment of the state of Washington; and

          WHEREAS, The Pilotage Act, chapter 88.16 RCW, was enacted to assure that licensed pilots with prescribed qualifications, experienced in the handling of vessels, pilot vessels subject to jurisdiction of the Pilotage Act; and

          WHEREAS, After careful consideration of the public interest an exemption from the Pilotage Act was included in RCW 88.16.070 for small passenger vessels not more than five hundred gross tons (international) and not exceeding two hundred feet in length; and

          WHEREAS, Any request for a statutory exemption from the Pilotage Act for a foreign motor vehicle carrying passenger vessel twenty years old, over twice the length and twenty times the gross tonnage of the existing exemption should be carefully considered in view of the public interest in protecting human life and property and the marine environment; and

          WHEREAS, An exemption for vessels exceeding the exempt classification to the extent described may unnecessarily endanger passengers and vessels and our marine environment; and

          WHEREAS, The increase in both pleasure and commercial vessel traffic on Washington waters is cause for additional concern for safety of passengers, vessels and vessel pollution of our vulnerable marine environment;

          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate of the State of Washington, the House of Representatives concurring, That the Washington State Legislature strongly support the existing policy and provisions of the Pilotage Act of the state of Washington, enacted to prevent the loss of human lives, loss of property and vessels, and to protect the marine environment of the state of Washington through the sound application of compulsory pilotage provisions.