DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 572 Original 2015 Regular Session Arnold
Abstract: Makes various changes to existing port pilots statutes.
Present law defines "board of commissioners" as the Bd. of New Orleans and Baton Rouge
Steamship Pilot Commissioners for the Mississippi River. Proposed law deletes present law.
Present law defines "board of examiners" as the Bd. of Examiners for New Orleans and Baton Rouge
steamship pilots. Proposed law changes this present law definition to mean the Bd. of Examiners
for New Orleans and Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots for the Mississippi River.
Present law provides for the governor's appointments of examiners and their successors to the bd.
of examiners. Proposed law retains present law.
Present law requires governor-appointed examiners and their successors to serve two-year terms.
Further requires appointed examiners to be pilots who have, for at least one year immediately
preceding the appointment, exercised the functions of river pilots from the port of New Orleans to
and including the port of Baton Rouge and intermediate ports upon sea-going vessels. Proposed law
deletes present law.
Proposed law requires the bd. of examiners to make pilot recommendations to the governor to fill
vacancies. Further requires the bd. of examiners to only recommend pilots who have served at least
five years as an unrestricted La. state commissioned New Orleans and Baton Rouge Steamship Pilot.
Proposed law clarifies that the governor's appointment of examiner is to be made exclusively from
the pilots commissioned by virtue of present law and proposed law.
Present law provides a minimum number of nine pilots to be appointed by the governor from pilots
who have been actively and continuously engaged for the previous one year in piloting sea-going
vessels from the port of New Orleans to the port of Baton Rouge and intermediate ports and return.
Further provides for the minimum number of pilots to not be less than nine. Proposed law deletes
present law.
Proposed law requires pilots provided for in present law (R.S. 34:1043) to be appointed by the
governor from those pilots recommended to the governor pursuant to the provisions of the bd. of
examiners' rules and regulations. Present law requires a qualified pilot to have a first class pilot license issued by the U.S. Coast Guard
and to have served a six-month apprenticeship. Proposed law deletes this requirement of present
law and provides for a qualified pilot to comply with all requirements of the bd. of examiners' Pilot
Development Program.
Present law requires pilots to take an oath of office and furnish bond in favor of the governor,
conditioned upon the faithful performance of duties, to the extent of $1,000 approved by the Bd. of
Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans. Proposed law retains present law but changes the bond
approval to be made by the board of examiners.
Present law provides pilots' entitlement to ask for and receive a pilotage fee per foot of water drawn
by vessels piloted up or down the Mississippi River. Further provides for related itemized pilotage
fees. Proposed law deletes present law.
Proposed law provides for pilots' entitlement to ask for and receive a pilotage fee. Further provides
for such fees to be established by the Pilotage Fee Commission.
Present law provides for pilots' charges to paid by every vessel subject to pilotage navigating
between the ports of New Orleans and Baton Rouge and intermediate ports. Further provides for
vessels subject to a pilotage navigating fee to pay the required charges, even when pilot services are
timely offered and refused. Proposed law retains present law.
Present law provides for the pilotage fee to be computed on a 15 foot draft for any vessel with a draft
of less than 15 feet. Further provides for the pilotage fee to bear as a lien upon the vessel, which lien
prescribes within one year, should the vessel return to the Port of New Orleans within that time.
Proposed law deletes present law.
(Amends the heading of Part II of Chapter 6 of Title 34, R.S. 34:1041, 1042(A), 1044-1046, and
1048)