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Committee advances harbor-evacuation bill but orders task force after fisherfolk raise operational concerns
Summary
The committee passed House Bill 11-59 with amendments to create a task force and further consult with the U.S. Coast Guard, harbor users and affected stakeholders after extended testimony highlighted conflicting federal/state roles and practical problems for small-vessel operators during emergency evacuations.
The Senate Committee on Transportation and Culture and the Arts voted to pass House Bill 11-59 with amendments creating a task force to coordinate the measure with federal partners, harbor users and emergency-management officials.
The bill would make explicit harbor-master authority on the state (commercial-harbor) side to issue evacuation orders and require vessel operators in commercial harbors to follow those orders during emergencies; proponents said that enforceable orders would speed evacuations and reduce risk to cargo and life.
Why it matters: witnesses and members flagged operational questions about overlap with the U.S. Coast Guard, fuel range…
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