HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2617

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                       Transportation

Title:  An act relating to vessels providing excursion services.

Brief Description:  Studying excursion cruise services.

Revised for 1st Substitute: Extending regulation of excursion cruise services.

Sponsors:  Representatives Radcliff and Morris.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Transportation:  1/25/00, 1/27/00 [DPS].

           Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

$Extends the current requirement that only carriers with a certificate of public convenience and necessity may provide vessel excursion service in Washington.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 22 members:  Representatives Fisher, Democratic Co-Chair; Mitchell, Republican Co-Chair; Cooper, Democratic 1st Vice Chair; Edwards, Democratic 2nd Vice Chair; Ericksen, Republican Vice Chair; Hankins, Republican Vice Chair; Fortunato; Haigh; Hatfield; Hurst; Lovick; McDonald; Mielke; Ogden; Pflug; Radcliff; Romero; Schindler; Scott; Skinner; Wood and Woods.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 1 member:  Representative Morris.

Staff:  Paul Neal (786-7315).

Background:

In 1995, the Legislature passed Chapter 361, Laws of 1995, which enacted a limited prohibition against any vessel owner providing excursion service in Washington unless the owner had obtained a certificate of public convenience and necessity from the Utilities and Transportation Commission.  The 1995 law was set to expire on January 1, 2001.

Summary of Substitute Bill:

Extends the current limited prohibition on excursion service until July 1, 2002.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The original bill's direction to the Legislative Transportation Committee to convene a task force to study the regulatory policy of distinguishing between excursion and regularly scheduled vessel service was deleted.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Extension of the limitation is necessary to provide for the time needed to study the policy for distinguishing between excursion service and regularly scheduled ferry service.

Testimony Against:  Overnight cruise ship operators were concerned that the study not be construed to include their activities.

Testified:  (Support) Jim Boldt, Clipper Navigation; and Paul Curl, Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission.

  (With concerns) Randy Ray, U.S. Cruise Ship Association.