The proposed legislation, General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5461, aims to eliminate the fees associated with obtaining and renewing a marine pilot license in Connecticut. Specifically, the bill repeals subsections (c) and (d) of section 15-13 of the general statutes, which previously required pilots to pay a fee of thirty dollars upon licensing and renewal. The bill substitutes this requirement with a provision that maintains the bond requirement for pilots but removes the associated fee. Additionally, it amends the definition of "license, permit and fee revenues" in subsection (d) of section 13b-59 to exclude references to the fees for marine pilot licenses.

The bill is set to take effect on October 1, 2026, and its primary purpose is to alleviate the financial burden on marine pilots by eliminating licensing and renewal fees. This change is expected to support the recommendations made by the Connecticut Port Authority, promoting a more accessible licensing process for marine pilots in the state.