LD1477 • 2025

An Act to Provide an Exemption from Pilotage Requirements for Passenger Ferry Service Between Bar Harbor, Maine and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

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Sponsor: Representative Gary Friedmann
Last action: 2026-03-17
Official status: On motion by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland the Senate INSISTED on ACCEPTANCE of the The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-800) Report. Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act to Provide an Exemption from Pilotage Requirements for Passenger Ferry Service Between Bar Harbor, Maine and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

An Act to Provide an Exemption from Pilotage Requirements for Passenger Ferry Service Between Bar Harbor, Maine and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia Sponsor: Representative Gary Friedmann Reference committee: Transportation Latest committee action: Reported Out; OTP-AM/ONTP

What This Bill Does

An Act to Provide an Exemption from Pilotage Requirements for Passenger Ferry Service Between Bar Harbor, Maine and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia Sponsor: Representative Gary Friedmann Reference committee: Transportation Latest committee action: Reported Out; OTP-AM/ONTP

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

C-A (H-800)

Adopted by Senate

Plain English: Page 1 - 132LR1075(03) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.

Page 1 - 132LR1075(03) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.
1477 2 Date: (Filing No.
H- ) 3TRANSPORTATION 4 Reproduced and distributed under the direction of the Clerk of the House.
5STATE OF MAINE 6HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 7132ND LEGISLATURE 8SECOND REGULAR SESSION 9 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT “ ” to H.P.

Bill History

2026-03-17 Senate
On motion by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland the Senate INSISTED on ACCEPTANCE of the The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-800) Report. Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
2026-03-12 House
Speaker FECTEAU of Biddeford MOVED to INSIST . Motion of Representative CRAFTS of Newcastle to RECEDE and CONCUR to ACCEPTANCE of the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report and PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-800) FAILED . ROLL CALL NO. 643 (Yeas 56 - Nays 86 - Absent 7 - Excused 1 - Vacant 1) Subsequently, the House INSISTED on ACCEPTANCE of the Minority Ought Not to Pass Report. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
2026-02-13 Committee
Reported Out; OTP-AM/ONTP
2026-02-05 Committee
Work Session Held
2026-02-05 Committee
Voted; Divided Report
2026-01-29 Committee
Work Session Held; TABLED
2025-06-25 Committee
Carry Over Approved
2025-05-28 Committee
Work Session Reconsidered; TABLED
2025-05-28 Committee
Carry Over Requested
2025-05-15 Committee
Work Session Held
2025-05-15 Committee
Voted; Divided Report
2025-04-08 Committee
Referred to Committee on Transportation.

Official Summary Text

An Act to Provide an Exemption from Pilotage Requirements for Passenger Ferry Service Between Bar Harbor, Maine and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
Sponsor:
Representative Gary Friedmann
Reference committee:
Transportation
Latest committee action:
Reported Out; OTP-AM/ONTP

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Printed on recycled paper
132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1477
H.P. 969 House of Representatives, April 3, 2025
An Act to Provide an Exemption from Pilotage Requirements for
Passenger Ferry Service Between Bar Harbor, Maine and
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative FRIEDMANN of Bar Harbor.
Cosponsored by Senator GROHOSKI of Hancock.

Page 1 - 132LR1075(01)
1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 38 MRSA §87-A, sub-§1, ¶E, as amended by PL 2011, c. 14, §2, is further
3 amended to read:
4 E. All military ships navigating the Kennebec River to and from the Bath Iron Works
5 Corporation for the purpose of accomplishing overhaul, repair, post shakedown
6 availability and sea trials; and
7Sec. 2. 38 MRSA §87-A, sub-§1, ¶F, as amended by PL 2015, c. 14, §1, is further
8 amended to read:
9 F. Noncommercial foreign vessels with overall length of under 253 feet. ; and
10Sec. 3. 38 MRSA §87-A, sub-§1, ¶G is enacted to read:
11 G. An American-flagged vessel with an American crew on regularly scheduled ferry
12 operations between Bar Harbor, Maine and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, as long
13 as:
14 (1) The master of the vessel has the following qualifications:
15 (a) A United States Coast Guard unlimited master's license; and
16 (b) A United States Coast Guard first class pilotage endorsement for the area
17 of operation; and
18 (2) The vessel takes a pilot licensed under this subchapter on one round trip per
19 calendar week.
20SUMMARY
21 This bill provides an exemption from pilotage requirements for certain vessels
22 providing regularly scheduled ferry operations between Bar Harbor, Maine and Yarmouth,
23 Nova Scotia.
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