What's happening
This bill allows the Board of Commissioners of Pilots to exempt certain recreational vessels under 200 feet from mandatory state pilotage requirements.
Why it matters
Gives the Board of Commissioners of Pilots new authority to decide, on a case-by-case basis, whether recreational vessels under 200 feet must use state-licensed pilots, introducing more flexibility into state pilotage rules.
Could reduce operating costs and regulatory burdens for owners of qualifying recreational vessels, potentially making New York waters more attractive for private yacht and leisure vessel traffic.
May raise safety or navigational concerns, as it shifts the responsibility for local waterway knowledge from licensed pilots to potentially less experienced vessel operators, depending on how the board exercises its discretion.
Could affect the business and workload of state-licensed pilots, as fewer vessels might be required to pay for pilotage services, impacting pilot income and possibly the funding of pilotage infrastructure.
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Who cares
Recreational vessel owners and operators
Those with vessels under 200 feet subject to compulsory state pilotage could receive discretionary exemptions rather than being required to take a pilot.
Board of commissioners of pilots
The bill would give the board discretion to exempt certain recreational vessels from pilotage requirements in the Port of New York, Hudson River and Long Island–Block Island Sound waters covered by the bill.
Licensed harbor, river and sound pilots
Exemptions could reduce required pilot assignments and payments otherwise owed when covered recreational vessels refuse pilot services.
Headline styles
Exempt Small Boats From Pilots
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Exempt Small Boats from Pilotage
In Senate Committee · Rules · Sponsor Andrew J. Lanza
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
11163
IN ASSEMBLY
June 12, 2018
Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Cusick) -read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the navigation law, in relation to exempting certain vessels from the compulsory state pilotage requirement
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 88 of the navigation law, as amended by chapter 943 of the laws of 1971, is amended to read as follows:
1. Every foreign vessel and every American vessel under register entering or departing from the Port of New York by the way of Sandy Hook or by the way of Sands Point or Execution Rocks, shall take a Sandy Hook pilot licensed under the authority of this article or of the laws of the state of New Jersey or a person heretofore licensed as a Hell Gate pilot. Notwithstanding the above, certain recreational vessels of less than two hundred feet in length may be exempted from the compulsory state pilotage requirement at the discretion of the board of commissioners of pilots. Whenever the services of such a pilot are refused, the master, owners or consignees, shall pay pilotage as if one had been employed. Such pilotage shall be paid to the pilot first speaking or offering his services as pilot to such vessel. The pilotage authorized to be collected whenever a pilot shall be refused by a vessel shall be sued for and recovered in the name of the pilot tendering such service. Such pilotage, when recovered, shall belong to and may be retained by such pilot for his own benefit and use. Certain recreational vessels may be exempted from the compulsory state pilotage requirement pursuant to this subdivision at the discretion of the board of commissioners of pilots.
§ 2. Subdivision 1 of section 89-a of the navigation law, as amended by chapter 838 of the laws of 1960, is amended to read as follows:
1. Every foreign vessel and every American vessel under register, except vessels proceeding otherwise than by sea and of less than three hundred gross registered tons and having a fully loaded draft of seven feet or less, entering or departing from the Hudson river north of a
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD16194-03-8
A. 11163 2
line running from the foot of Main street, Yonkers, west to Alpine, New Jersey, or navigating any of the waters of the Hudson river north of said line and south of the dam at Troy, New York, shall take a Hudson river pilot licensed under the authority of this article. Notwithstanding the above, certain recreational vessels of less than two hundred feet in length may be exempted from the compulsory state pilotage requirement at the discretion of the board of commissioners of pilots. Whenever the services of such a pilot are refused, the master, owners or consignees shall pay pilotage as if one had been employed. Such pilotage shall be paid to the pilot first speaking or offering his services as pilot to such vessel. The pilotage authorized to be collected whenever a pilot shall be refused by a vessel shall be sued for and recovered in the name of the pilot tendering such service. Such pilotage, when recovered, shall belong to and may be retained by such pilot for his own benefit and use. Certain recreational vessels may be exempted from the compulsory state pilotage requirement pursuant to this subdivision at the discretion of the board of commissioners of pilots.
§ 3. Subdivision 1 of section 89-b of the navigation law, as amended by chapter 732 of the laws of 1991, is amended to read as follows:
1. Every foreign vessel and every American vessel under register transiting the New York state waters of Long Island Sound or Block Island Sound east of Execution Rocks or Sands Point, and any such vessels entering or departing from any port situated on the New York state waters of Long Island Sound east of Execution Rocks or Sands Point, shall take a Long Island-Block Island Sound pilot licensed under the authority of this article. Every foreign vessel and every American vessel under register transiting the New York state waters of Long Island Sound or Block Island Sound east of a line running southeasterly from the mouth of the Byram River at the New York-Connecticut boundary to Oak Neck Point on Long Island shall take a pilot licensed under the authority of this article or the laws of any other state having concurrent jurisdiction over these waters. Notwithstanding the above, certain recreational vessels of less than two hundred feet in length may be exempted from the compulsory state pilotage requirement at the discretion of the board of commissioners of pilots. Whenever the services of such a pilot are refused, the master, owners or consignees shall pay pilotage as if one had been employed. The pilotage authorized to be collected whenever a pilot shall be refused by a vessel shall be sued for and recovered in the name of the pilot tendering such service. Such pilotage, when recovered, shall belong to and may be retained by such pilot for his own benefit and use. Certain recreational vessels may be exempted from the compulsory state pilotage requirement pursuant to this subdivision at the discretion of the board of commissioners of pilots.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.