BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2637
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ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 2637 (Chesbro)
As Introduced February 19, 2010
Majority vote
TRANSPORTATION 13-0 APPROPRIATIONS 11-5
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|Ayes:|Bonnie Lowenthal, |Ayes:|Fuentes, Hill, Bradford, |
| |Jeffries, | |Charles Calderon, Coto, |
| |Bill Berryhill, | |Davis, Hall, Skinner, |
| |Blumenfield, Buchanan, | |Solorio, Torlakson, |
| |Eng, Furutani, Galgiani, | |Torrico |
| |Hayashi, Miller, Niello, | | |
| |Norby, Solorio | | |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+---------------------------|
| | |Nays:|Conway, Harkey, Miller, |
| | | |Nielsen, Norby |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY : Adds Humboldt Bay to those waters where pilots
licensed by the Board of Pilot Commissioners (Board) for the
Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo, Suisun, and Monterey have
exclusive authority to pilot vessels from the high seas and
within the bay. Allows existing Humboldt Bay pilots entry into
the Board's pilot trainee program.
EXISTING LAW establishes:
1)The Board for the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun,
and Monterey, to license and regulate maritime pilots who
guide vessels entering or leaving those bays. Prescribes
pilotage rates for vessels and requires vessels to pay a
specified rate of bar pilotage through the Golden Gate Bridge
and into or out of the bays of San Francisco, San Pablo,
Suisun, and Monterey.
2)The Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation, and Conservation District
(District) within Humboldt County. Provides for the
regulation and licensing of pilots for Humboldt Bay by the
District.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
AB 2637
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Committee, minor, absorbable state costs.
COMMENTS : Current law directs the Board to regulate pilotage
(steering of large marine vessels) and provides for the
licensing, regulation, and management of pilots in the bays of
San Francisco, San Pablo, Suisun, and Monterey. Humboldt Bay is
currently not within the pilotage operating areas under the
Board's control.
The District is vested with the authority to license marine
vessel pilots for Humboldt Bay. The Port of Humboldt Bay
(Port), a component of the District, directly employs the two
pilots that are licensed to serve the Humboldt Bay. The
District is currently experiencing significant financial
distress and is concerned that they may not be able to continue
to employ the two pilots.
According to the author's office, "If the pilots are no longer
employed or licensed to serve Humboldt Bay, the state could find
itself in the position where deep-draft vessels are no longer
able to call at Humboldt Bay (no pilots; no ships calling at the
Port). If no ships are able to call at Humboldt Bay it is
likely that the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE)
will no longer recommend federal maintenance dredging of the
channels within the Humboldt Bay. The USACOE dredging program
provides approximately $4-6 million in federal funds annually
for maintenance of Humboldt Bay's channels. These channels not
only serve the international shipping community, but local fuel
barges that deliver gas and diesel to the region, as well as
recreational boaters and a vibrant fishing fleet."
This bill is an effort to assure that the two pilots currently
licensed to serve Humboldt Bay have an opportunity to be
considered for the Board's pilot training program.
Additionally, licensed pilots need to be available for pilotage
work at Humboldt Bay in order to keep it as a viable deep-water
port, and thus maintain eligibility for continued USACOE
maintenance dredging funding assistance. This bill would allow
the District the opportunity to explore options for providing
pilotage services for Humboldt Bay as well as identify funding
opportunities for the District.
Analysis Prepared by : Ed Imai / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093
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