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Committee tables bill to exempt public-access pier from commercial license fee
Summary
HB 1066, which would exempt a Public Access Authority fishing pier in Gloucester from an annual $450 commercial fishing-pier license fee, was laid on the table by a 6–3 vote after supporters argued the fee burdened a low-budget regional authority.
The sponsor of HB 1066 said the Chesapeake Bay Public Access Authority manages multiple properties with a small operating budget and that the $450 annual commercial fishing-pier license fee can be a meaningful burden. The bill would exempt public-access authority piers used for recreational fishing from the $450 annual commercial-pier license fee, making the facility more accessible to residents in economically challenged regions.
Matt Wells, representing the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission, testified that the fee is significant relative to the authority’s roughly $10,000 budget and urged the committee to report the bill. Supporters said the pier is operated by a government entity for public benefit rather than as a commercial enterprise.
After discussion, a motion to lay HB 1066 on the table passed by a vote of 6–3, halting immediate consideration of the measure.
