BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2637
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 2637 (Chesbro)
As Amended May 24, 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 : Allows pilots for the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation,
and Conservation District (District) to be eligible for the
pilot trainee program of the Board of Pilot Commissioners
(Board), pursuant to specified criteria. Specifically, this
bill:
1)Authorizes a pilot licensed by the District to be eligible to
take an entrance examination prior to admission into the
Board's pilot trainee program. In order to qualify for the
examination, authorizes the Board to adopt a statement
indicating that the pilot has the necessary qualifying
pilotage and ship-handling experience.
2)Establishes criteria that the pilot must meet prior to the
Board's issuance of a certificate of completion.
3)Sunsets the bill's provisions on January 1, 2014.
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
AB 2637
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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 District within Humboldt County. Provides for the
regulation and licensing of pilots for Humboldt Bay by the
District.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
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
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maintenance dredging funding assistance. This bill would
establish an alternative admission testing procedure for the two
District pilots for entry into the Board's pilot trainee program
until January 1, 2014.
Analysis Prepared by : Ed Imai / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093
FN: 0004456