An Act To Improve the Safety of Ferries in the State
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1468
Committee Amendment CA_A_S374 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A " to S.P. 566, L.D. 1468, Bill, "An Act To 
Improve the Safety of Ferries in the State" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, To Improve the Safety of Ferries in the State' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. Peer review assessment; operations and safety. Resolved: That the 
Department of Transportation shall execute a peer review assessment of Maine State 
Ferry Service processes to evaluate safety procedures and marine operations of the Maine 
State Ferry Service. For purposes of this resolve, "Maine State Ferry Service" has the 
same meaning as in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 23, section 4401. The peer review 
assessment must include an examination of the recommendations in the report titled 
"Maine State Ferry Service, MaineDOT, Operational Safety Assessment (OSA) Report," 
dated April 4, 2008 and written by Safety Management Systems, LLC. The peer review 
assessment must include, at a minimum, comments relating to: 
1. Appropriate staffing levels for vessels operated by the Maine State Ferry Service; 
2. An adequate minimum mandatory training level for each position within the 
Maine State Ferry Service; and 
3. Standard operating procedures relating to crew stations and duties while in port 
and at sea and decisions regarding passengers who fall overboard, firefighting, extreme 
weather conditions, abandoning ship and other emergency procedures; and be it further 
Sec. 2. 
Operational changes relating to Maine State Ferry Service. 
Resolved: That, by June 1, 2017, the Department of Transportation shall adopt rules 
relating to the Maine State Ferry Service in accordance with this section. Rules adopted 
pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, 
subchapter 2-A. The rules must: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 566, L.D. 1468 
I 
I. Require all vessels operating for the Maine State Ferry Service to be outfitted with 
a lockbox for medical samples. The rules must provide for the transport of medical 
diagnostic samples, including, but not limited to, allowing medical personnel access to 
the lockbox; 
2. Include procedures to modernize customer services, including, but not limited to, 
passenger wait lines, slot times and seasonal rates. The procedures must be developed 
with the goal of improving customer service and identifying opportunities for increased 
revenue;and 
3. 
Implement a standardized process to improve training of Maine State Ferry 
IO 
Service employees. The rules must require that, to the extent it is practicable, vessel crew 
training be accomplished before reporting for duty, including, but not limited to, 
familiarization with the vessel the crew member will be working on. 
Vessel crew 
training must include, but is not limited to, the location and operation of emergency 
equipment and firefighting equipment and vessel-specific procedures, overboard drills 
and duty stations in port and at sea. The training may be accomplished by the port 
captain except for training that must be accomplished while the vessel is under way. 
Training under this subsection must satisfy the applicable federal regulations for ferry 
boats and ferry service training protocols; and be it further 
Sec. 3. Report. Resolved: That, no later than February I, 2017, the Department 
of Transportation shall submit a report with the results of the peer review assessment 
under section I and a progress report on its rules developed pursuant to section 2 to the 
joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation 
matters. 
The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
transportation matters may submit a bill to the First Regular Session of the 128th 
Legislature related to the reports; and be it further 
Sec. 4. 
Appropriations and allocations. 
Resolved: 
That the following 
appropriations and allocations are made. 
TRANSPORTATION, DEPARTMENT OF 
Multimodal - Island Ferry Service Z016 
Initiative: Provides allocations to conduct a peer review of the Maine State Ferry Service 
and to outfit all Maine State Ferry Service vessels with lockboxes for medical samples. 
HIGHWAY FUND 
Personal Services 
All Other 
HIGHWAY FUND TOT AL 
ISLAND FERRY SERVICES FUND 
Personal Services 
All Other 
2015-16 
$0 
$0 
$0 
2015-16 
$0 
$0 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
2016-17 
$5,000 
$1,500 
$6,500 
2016-17 
$5,000 
$1,500 
.. 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A "to S.P. 566, L.D. 1468 
ISLAND FERRY SERVICES FUND TOTAL 
SUMMARY 
$0 
$6,500 
This amendment, which replaces the bill with a resolve, strikes from the bill 
provisions amending the membership of the Maine State Ferry Advisory Board within the 
Department of Transportation. 
The amendment also strikes from the bill the requirement that the Department of 
Transportation implement recommendations contained in the report titled "Maine State 
Ferry Service, MaineDOT, Operational Safety Assessment (OSA) Report" and dated 
April 4, 2008. Instead, the amendment requires the Department of Transportation to 
execute a peer review assessment of Maine State Ferry Service processes to evaluate 
safety procedures and marine operations of the Maine State Ferry Service. 
The 
amendment requires the Department of Transportation to submit a report with the results 
of the peer review assessment to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over transportation matters no later than February 1, 2017. 
The amendment revises the provisions in the bill relating to rulemaking. 
The 
amendment strikes the requirement that the Department of Transportation adopt rules 
relating to the Maine State Ferry Service regarding staffing levels and duties, 
transportation of hazardous materials and standard operating procedures relating to crew 
stations and duties. The amendment retains the requirement that the Department of 
Transportation adopt rules relating to the Maine State Ferry Service regarding 
transportation of medical samples and customer service and adds training to the rule-
making requirement. 
The amendment requires the Department of Transportation to 
report on the progress of its rulemaking to the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over transportation matters no later than February 1, 2017. 
The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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Approved: 02/24/16 ;'b/ac. 
LD 1468 
LR 2364(02) 
An Act To Improve the Safety of Ferries in the State 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ''R'{S-31"\} 
Committee: Transportation 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
-·· 
FY 2015-16 
FY 2016-17 
Projections 
FY 2017-18 
Projections 
FY 2018-19 
Net Cost (Savings) 
Highway Fund 
Appropriations/Allocations 
Highway Fund 
Island Ferry Services Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$6,500 
$6,500 
$6,500 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
The bill includes Highway Fund and Island Ferry Services Fund allocations of $6,500 each to the Department of 
Transportation in fiscal year 2016-17 only to conduct a peer review of the Maine State Ferry Service (MSFS) and to 
provide lockboxes for medical samples to vessels operating for the MSFS. Any costs associated with implementing 
the results of the peer review will be evaluated as paii of any subsequent legislation submitted by the Committee. 
LR2364(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1