BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 907
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 18, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 907 (Ma) - As Amended: April 14, 2011
Policy Committee:
TransportationVote:11-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes a port agent to review the initial report
of a suspected ladder or hoist safety standard violation. The
bill requires the port agent, if he or she concludes that the
ladder or hoist presents a potential danger to future users, to
report the suspected safety standard violation to organizations
of pilots in expected next ports of call and authorizes the port
agent to similarly report to any national or international
organization concerned with pilot ladder or pilot hoist safety.
The bill also deletes obsolete reference to inland pilots and
pilotage rate increases.
FISCAL EFFECT
Negligible state costs, if any.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . The author notes that the United States Coast
Guard (USCG) has no legal obligation to inform the next port
of a reported safety issue and intends this bill to protect
pilots that will receive vessels following a ladder or hoist
accident.
2)Background. Bar pilots and inland pilots are responsible for
steering an arriving vessel through the Golden Gate Bridge of
San Francisco Bay, the bay waters, and adjoining navigable
waters, which include San Pablo Bay, Monterey Bay, Suisun Bay,
the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, and its tributaries.
When a vessel approaches the "SF" buoy 12 miles west of the
Golden Gate Bridge, a bar pilot boards the ship and takes
navigational control, guiding the ship to berth. Bar pilots
often climb from their transport boat onto the vessel during
choppy currents using a pilot ladder and hoist. Sometimes,
AB 907
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the equipment is not in good repair. Current law requires the
executive director of the Board of Pilot Commissioners or a
commission investigator to inspect pilot ladders and hoists
for compliance with the relevant safety standards of the USCG
and the International Maritime Organization. If, in the
preliminary report, the equipment is found to be in violation,
or likely violation, of safety standards, the executive
director must immediately alert the USCG. A written report
must be submitted to the incident review committee of the
Board, which must remain confidential until it is reported to
the Board. The committee must then report its findings and
recommendations to the Board.
3)Support. This bill is supported by the San Francisco Bar
Pilots Association.
4)There is no registered opposition to this bill.
Analysis Prepared by : Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081