Article 1. Issuance Of License of California Harbors And Navigation Code >> Division 5. >> Chapter 4. >> Article 1.
The board shall appoint and license the number of pilots
which is sufficient to carry out the purposes of this division.
In determining the number of pilots needed, pursuant to
Section 1170, the board shall take into consideration the findings
and declarations in Sections 1100 and 1101, the results of an audit
made pursuant to, and the factors specified in, Section 1203, the
industry's current economic trends, fluctuations in the number of
vessel calls, the size of vessels, and whether the need for pilotage
is increasing or decreasing.
Before changing the number of pilots which may be licensed
pursuant to this division, the board shall conduct a hearing pursuant
to Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1
of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(a) The board shall adopt, by regulation, a pilot's
conflict-of-interest code, which shall include, but need not be
limited to, a provision specifying that a pilot shall not have any
interest in, or derive any income from, any tugboat in operation on
Monterey Bay and the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun.
This requirement of divestiture does not apply to the ownership of
barges and vessels similar to barges.
(b) The conflict-of-interest code shall not prohibit the ownership
of stock in any corporation registered on a national securities
exchange or on the National Market System of the NASDAQ Stock Market,
pursuant to Section 78f of Title 15 of the United States Code, which
may own tugboats in operation on Monterey Bay and the Bays of San
Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun.
(a) The board shall have the sole authority to determine the
qualifications for obtaining a license as a pilot pursuant to this
division, determine who shall have the license, and issue the
license.
(b) A person possessing a valid state pilot's license on January
1, 1985, is hereby licensed as if the license was granted by the
board.
(a) The board shall adopt, by regulation, licensing
standards that equal or exceed standards for obtaining federal
endorsements and that conform with and support the state policy
specified in Sections 1100 and 1101.
(b) The board shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations that
require pilots to be qualified to perform all pilot duties.
(c) The board shall adopt, by regulation, training standards and a
training program for pilot trainees, and continuing education
standards and a continuing education program for pilots. In the case
of pilot trainees, the training program shall be for a minimum of one
year and a maximum of three years. In the case of pilots, the board
shall specify the type, nature, duration, and frequency of the
continuing education required and the identity of the pilots who are
required to undergo continuing education in the next 12-month period.
Pursuant to Section 1182, the license of a pilot may be revoked or
suspended if he or she fails to complete the continuing education
required by this subdivision during the period specified. The board
shall also require that an evaluation of the pilot's performance be
prepared by the institution selected by the board to provide pilot
continuing education, and the institution shall provide copies of the
evaluation to the pilot and to the board.
(d) The board shall adopt, by regulation, the qualifications,
standards, and rating criteria for admission of pilot trainees to the
training program. Notwithstanding subdivision (f), the board shall
administer and conduct the pilot trainee admission selection in
accordance with the regulations for admission.
(e) The board shall establish a pilot evaluation committee
consisting of five active pilots who each have at least 10 years'
experience as a pilot on the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo, and
Suisun. The board shall select the members of the pilot evaluation
committee. A member may not serve for more than two four-year terms,
except that two of the initial members appointed to the pilot
evaluation committee shall serve terms of two years.
(f) The pilot evaluation committee shall conduct and supervise the
pilot trainee training program pursuant to the direction and
regulation of the board and consistent with the intent of this
division.
(g) The board shall issue a certificate of completion to each
pilot trainee who satisfactorily completes the training program. The
board shall not issue a pilot's license to a person who does not
receive a certificate of completion of the training program from the
board, although the board may refuse to issue a pilot license to a
pilot trainee who has received this certificate.
(h) The training program for pilot trainees and the continuing
education program for pilots shall be funded from revenues collected
for these purposes as determined by the board pursuant to Sections
1195 and 1196 and deposited into the Board of Pilot Commissioners'
Special Fund pursuant to Section 1159.
(a) There shall be an examination fee to be charged in an
amount established by the board to each applicant to the pilot
trainee training program who participates in any written or simulator
examinations established by the board for the purposes of
determining admission to the pilot trainee training program pursuant
to subdivision (d) of Section 1171.5. The fee shall be charged only
to those who actually participate in an examination and shall not
exceed the administrative costs to the board of preparing and
administering the examination.
(b) The moneys charged and collected from the applicant pursuant
to subdivision (a) shall be paid to the board and deposited into the
Board of Pilot Commissioners' Special Fund pursuant to Section 1159.
The moneys shall be used only to fund the pilot trainee training
program in the manner established by the board.
Pilots licensed by the board shall be carefully examined as
to their qualifications. A license as a pilot shall be granted for a
term of 12 months. The license shall be renewed annually unless the
board has good cause to withhold renewal pursuant to Article 2
(commencing with Section 1180) of this chapter.
An application for a pilot's license shall be made in writing
to the board, stating such information as the board by rule and
regulation may require.
A pilot's license shall be issued in the name of the State of
California and contain a designation of the waters for which it is
intended. The license shall be signed by the president of the board.
No person shall be licensed as a pilot unless all of the
following requirements are met:
(a) The person can meet the qualifications set by the board,
including age limitations, if any.
(b) The person is of good mental and physical health and good
moral character.
(c) The person possesses the requisite skill and experience as a
navigator and pilot, together with practical knowledge of the
currents, tide, soundings, bearings, and distances of the several
shoals, and the rocks, bars, points of landings, lights, and fog
signals of, or pertaining to, the navigation of the pilot ground for
which the person applies for a license to act as a pilot.
(d) The person can satisfy the board that the person has means
available for boarding and leaving vessels which the person may be
called upon to pilot.
(a) The board shall appoint a physician or physicians who are
qualified to determine the suitability of a person to perform his or
her duties as a pilot or a pilot trainee in accordance with
subdivision (c).
(b) An applicant for a pilot trainee position or for a pilot
license, a pilot trainee, or a pilot seeking renewal of his or her
license shall undergo a physical examination by a board-appointed
physician in accordance with standards prescribed by the board.
Within 30 days prior to the examination, the applicant or licensee
shall submit to the physician conducting the physical examination a
complete list of all prescribed medications being taken by or
administered to the applicant or licensee.
(c) On the basis of both the examination and an evaluation of the
effects of the prescription medications named on the submitted list,
the physician shall designate to the board whether or not the pilot
or pilot trainee is fit to perform his or her duties as a pilot or a
pilot trainee.
(d) The license of a pilot shall not be renewed unless he or she
is found fit for duty pursuant to subdivision (c).
(e) If a pilot or a pilot trainee is prescribed either a new
dosage of a medication or a new medication, or suspends the use of a
prescribed medication, he or she shall, within 10 days, submit that
information to the board-appointed physician having possession of the
prescribed medication list submitted pursuant to subdivision (b). If
the physician receives the updated information, the physician shall
determine whether or not the medication change affects the licensee's
or trainee's fitness for duty. If the physician determines that the
medication change results in the pilot or pilot trainee being unfit
for duty, the physician shall inform the board.
(f) The board may terminate a pilot trainee or suspend or revoke
the license of a pilot who fails to submit the prescribed medication
information required by this section.
(a) At the time of the physical examination required by
Section 1176, a trainee or an applicant for a trainee position shall
disclose to the board-appointed physician conducting the physical
examination all of the following information, if applicable:
(1) If at any time prior to the examination the trainee or
applicant for a trainee position has been rendered incapable of
safely operating a vessel or any other motor vehicle because of
alcoholism, excessive and chronic use of alcoholic beverages, or
addiction to, or habitual use of, any drug.
(2) If at any time prior to the examination the trainee or
applicant for a trainee position has been addicted to the use of
narcotic drugs or has participated in a narcotic treatment program.
(3) If at any time prior to the examination the trainee or
applicant for a trainee position has suffered from a disorder
characterized by lapses of consciousness or has experienced, within
the last three years, either a lapse of consciousness or an episode
of marked confusion caused by any medical condition that may bring
about recurrent lapses, or has any physical or mental disability,
disease, or disorder that could affect the safe operation of a vessel
or motor vehicle.
(b) At the time of the physical examination, a licensee shall
disclose to the board-appointed physician conducting the physical
examination pursuant to Section 1176 all of the following
information, if applicable:
(1) If at any time during the year prior to the examination the
licensee applicant has been rendered incapable of safely operating a
vessel or any other motor vehicle because of alcoholism, excessive
and chronic use of alcoholic beverages, or addiction to, or habitual
use of, any drug.
(2) If at any time during the year prior to the examination the
licensee has been addicted to the use of narcotic drugs or
participated in a narcotic treatment program.
(3) If at any time during the year prior to the examination the
licensee has suffered from a disorder characterized by lapses of
consciousness or has experienced either a lapse of consciousness or
an episode of marked confusion caused by any medical condition that
may bring about recurrent lapses, or has any physical or mental
disability, disease, or disorder that could affect the safe operation
of a vessel or any other motor vehicle.
(c) The board may refuse to admit an applicant to the training
program, continue a trainee in the training program, or issue or
renew a license to any person if the board-appointed physician
conducting the physical examination required pursuant to Section 1176
determines that the trainee applicant, trainee, license applicant,
or licensee excessively or habitually uses, or is addicted to,
alcoholic beverages, narcotics, or dangerous drugs.
(d) The board shall not admit an applicant to the training
program, continue a trainee in the program, issue a license to a
pilot license applicant, or renew a pilot license for any applicant
who fails to submit the information required by this section.
(a) All pilots licensed pursuant to this division shall have
and maintain proper federal endorsements allowing them to pilot on
the high seas and on all waters of the Bays of San Francisco, San
Pablo, and Suisun, excluding the San Joaquin River and the Sacramento
deep water ship channel.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), all pilots issued original
licenses pursuant to this division after December 31, 1987, shall
have and maintain proper federal endorsements allowing them to pilot
on the high seas and on all waters of the Bays of San Francisco, San
Pablo, and Suisun, including the San Joaquin River and the Sacramento
deep water ship channel.
(c) All pilots licensed pursuant to this division for Monterey Bay
shall have and maintain proper federal endorsements allowing them to
pilot on the high seas and on all the waters of Monterey Bay.
(a) The board's proceedings with regard to the refusal to
issue or renew a pilot license shall be conducted in accordance with
Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of
Title 2 of the Government Code.
(b) The board may deny an application for a license without a
hearing, if within one year previously, and after proceedings
conducted in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section
11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, an
application from the same applicant has been denied upon the same
grounds.
Persons applying for an original license shall not receive a
license unless they have proper federal endorsements allowing them to
pilot on the high seas and all the waters of those bays pursuant to
Section 1171.
(a) Subject to this section, the board shall participate in
a pull-notice system, pursuant to Section 1808.1 of the Vehicle
Code, with respect to all pilot trainees and all licensees.
(b) The purpose of board participation in a pull-notice system
pursuant to this section is to provide the board with a report
showing each pilot's current public record as recorded by the
Department of Motor Vehicles, and any subsequent convictions,
failures to appear, accidents, driver's license suspensions, driver's
license revocations, or any other actions taken against the driving
privilege or certificate, added to the driver's record while the
notification request remains valid and uncanceled.
(c) As used in this section, participation in the pull-notice
system means obtaining a requester code and enrolling all pilots and
trainees who are subject to the board's jurisdiction under that
requester code.
(d) The board shall, additionally, obtain a periodic report from
the Department of Motor Vehicles at least every 12 months. The board
shall verify that each pilot's and pilot trainee's driver's license
has not been suspended or revoked and whether the pilot or pilot
trainee has been convicted of a violation of Section 23152 or 23153
of the Vehicle Code or Section 655.
(e) Upon the termination of a pilot's license or the removal of a
trainee from the training program, the board shall notify the
Department of Motor Vehicles to discontinue the driver's enrollment
in the pull-notice system.
(f) For the purposes of the pull-notice system, a pilot and pilot
trainee shall be enrolled as if he or she were an employee of the
board.
(g) The board shall be exempt from any fees required under the
pull-notice system, pursuant to Section 1808.1 of the Vehicle Code.
(h) The board, on an individual basis, shall also request the
driving record of every applicant for admission into the pilot
training program before granting admission to the training program,
and shall request the driving record of every applicant for an
original pilot license before issuing a pilot license.
(i) The board, after notice and hearing, may refuse to issue a
pilot license or may suspend or revoke the license issued to a pilot
if that person has been convicted of a violation of Section 23152 or
23153 of the Vehicle Code, or Section 655. A conviction after a plea
of nolo contendere is a conviction within the meaning of this
section.
(j) The board may refuse to admit an applicant into the pilot
training program or may dismiss a pilot trainee from the pilot
training program if that person has been convicted of a violation of
Section 23152 or 23153 of the Vehicle Code or Section 655. A
conviction after a plea of nolo contendere is a conviction within the
meaning of this section.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this division, any
shipping company which regularly employed its employees, or expressed
its intent to the board to use its employees, for piloting vessels
on the Bays of San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun on or before July
1, 1983, may employ and use its employees in that manner in lieu of
pilots provided under this chapter. However, this use of employees as
pilots on foreign flag vessels shall be limited to five vessel calls
per year for those shipping companies that have only expressed their
intent to use their employees in lieu of pilots. This limitation
shall not apply to those shipping companies which regularly employed
their employees for piloting vessels prior to July 1, 1983.