RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 18 (HB 572) 2015 Regular Session Arnold
Relative to steamship pilots, prior law defined "board of commissioners" as the Bd. of New
Orleans and Baton Rouge Steamship Pilot Commissioners for the Mississippi River. New
law deletes prior law.
Prior law defined "board of examiners" as the Bd. of Examiners for New Orleans and Baton
Rouge steamship pilots. New law changes prior law and defines the "board of examiners"
as the Bd. of Examiners for New Orleans and Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots for the
Mississippi River.
Existing law provides for the governor's appointment of examiners and their successors to
the bd. of examiners.
Prior law required governor-appointed examiners and their successors to serve 2-year terms.
Required appointed examiners to be pilots who had, for at least 1 year immediately preceding
the appointment, exercised the functions of river pilots from certain ports upon sea-going
vessels. New law deletes prior law.
New law requires the bd. of examiners to make pilot recommendations to the governor to fill
vacancies. Requires the bd. of examiners to only recommend pilots who have served at least
5 years as an unrestricted La. state commissioned New Orleans and Baton Rouge Steamship
Pilot. Clarifies for the governor to appoint examiners exclusively from pilots commissioned
by virtue of new law and existing law.
Prior law provided a minimum number of 9 pilots to be appointed by the governor from
pilots actively and continuously engaged for the previous year in piloting sea-going vessels
from certain ports. New law deletes prior law.
New law requires pilots provided for in existing law (R.S. 34:1043) to be appointed by the
governor from pilots recommended to the governor per the provisions of the bd. of
examiners' rules and regulations.
Prior law required a qualified pilot to have a first class pilot license and to have served a 6-
month apprenticeship. New law deletes prior law and requires a qualified pilot to comply
with all requirements of the bd. of examiners' Pilot Development Program.
Existing 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. Prior
law requires bond approval by the Bd. of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans. New
law changes the bond approval to be made by the bd. of examiners.
Prior law provided pilots' entitlement to ask for and receive a pilotage fee per foot of water
drawn by vessels piloted up or down the Mississippi River. Provided for itemized pilotage
fees. New law deletes prior law and provides for pilots' entitlement to ask for and receive
a pilotage fee, and requires such fees to be established by the Pilotage Fee Commission.
Existing law provides for pilots' charges to be 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.
Prior law provided for the pilotage fee to be computed on a 15 foot draft for any vessel with
a draft of less than 15 feet. Provided for the pilotage fee to bear as a lien upon the vessel,
which lien prescribes within 1 year, should the vessel return to the Port of New Orleans
within 1 year. New law deletes prior law.
Effective upon signature of governor (May 26, 2015).
(Amends the heading of Part II of Ch. 6 of Title 34, R.S. 34:1041, 1042(A), 1044-1046, and
1048)