Louisiana 2022 2022 Regular Session

Louisiana House Bill HB1060 Engrossed / Bill

                    HLS 22RS-2517	ENGROSSED
2022 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 1060 (Substitute for House Bill No. 338 by Representative Coussan)
BY REPRESENTATIVE COUSSAN
FISHING/LICENSES:  Provides relative to freshwater charter boat fishing guide licenses
1	AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 56:302.9(A)(1) and (3), relative to charter boat fishing licenses;
3 to remove state requirement for a valid United States Coast Guard captain's license
4 for freshwater charter boat fishing guides; and to provide for related matters.
5Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1.  R.S. 56:302.9(A)(1) and (3) are hereby amended and reenacted to read
7as follows:
8 ยง302.9.  Charter boat fishing guide license; nonresident fee
9	A.(1)(a)  No person shall act as nor represent himself to be a saltwater charter
10 boat fishing guide unless that person possesses a valid state charter boat fishing
11 guide license, a valid captain's license issued by the United States Coast Guard, proof
12 of liability insurance, and a valid state recreational fishing license that grants fishing
13 privileges appropriate for his charter activity.  In addition, any person acting as a
14 saltwater charter boat fishing guide who is in charge of the operation of a vessel shall
15 have his required licenses and proof of liability insurance on his person while on the
16 water.  It shall not be a violation of this Section for a person to represent himself as
17 a charter boat fishing guide if that person held a valid license during the previous
18 thirty days but has not renewed the license.
19	(b)  No person shall act as or represent himself to be a freshwater charter boat
20 fishing guide unless that person possesses a valid state charter boat fishing guide
Page 1 of 2
CODING:  Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 22RS-2517	ENGROSSED
HB NO. 1060
1 license, proof of liability insurance, and a valid state recreational fishing license that
2 grants fishing privileges appropriate for his charter activity.  In addition, any person
3 acting as a freshwater charter boat fishing guide who is in charge of the operation of
4 a vessel shall have his required licenses and proof of liability insurance on his person
5 while on the water.  It shall not be a violation of this Section for a person to represent
6 himself as a charter boat fishing guide if that person held a valid license during the
7 previous thirty days but has not renewed the license.
8	*          *          *
9	(3)  The nonresident charter boat fishing guide license shall be available only
10 from the Baton Rouge office of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.  Such
11 licenses shall be issued on a consignment basis, and no agent fees shall apply.  A
12 nonresident saltwater charter boat fishing guide license shall be made available only
13 to those persons who possess a valid captain's license issued by the United States
14 Coast Guard.
15	*          *          *
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 1060 Engrossed 2022 Regular Session	Coussan
Abstract:  Removes the requirement for a valid captain's license issued by the United States
Coast Guard for freshwater charter guides.
Present law requires residents and nonresidents to obtain a freshwater charter boat fishing
guide license in order to represent himself to be a charter boat fishing guide.  Further
requires both freshwater and saltwater charter guides possess a valid captain's license issued
by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Proposed law removes the requirement that a freshwater charter boat fishing guide possess
a valid captain's license issued by the U.S. Coast Guard in order to conduct guided fishing
tours in freshwater.  Additionally, provides an exception to a licensure violation for a person
who represents himself as a charter boat fishing guide if the person possessed a valid license
during the previous 30 days but has not renewed.
(Amends R.S. 56:302.9(A)(1) and (3))
Page 2 of 2
CODING:  Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.