Title TN, Transportation Code

Sec. 70.022. JUDICIAL REVIEW. Proceedings for judicial review of a board decision shall be brought in a district court in Nueces County. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 359, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997. SUBCHAPTER C. PILOTS' LICENSES OR CERTIFICATES

Sec. 70.031. LICENSES OR CERTIFICATE REQUIRED. A person may not provide pilot services unless the person has a license or certificate issued under this chapter for the Port of Corpus Christi. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 359, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Sec. 70.032. QUALIFICATIONS FOR LICENSE. To be eligible for a license as a branch pilot, a person must: (1) be at least 25 years of age; (2) be a United States citizen; (3) as of the date the license is issued, have resided continuously in the state for at least two years; (4) ha…

Sec. 70.033. QUALIFICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATE. To be eligible for a certificate as a deputy branch pilot, a person must: (1) be at least 25 years of age; (2) be a United States citizen; (3) be appointed by a branch pilot; (4) be in good mental and physical health; (5) have good mor…

Sec. 70.034. APPLICATION FOR LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE. To apply for a branch pilot's license or a deputy branch pilot's certificate, a person must give the board a written application in the form and manner required by board rule. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 359, Sec. 4, eff…

Sec. 70.035. CONSIDERATION OF APPLICATION. As part of its consideration of applications for licenses, the board may examine and decide on the qualifications of an applicant for the position of branch pilot. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 359, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Sec. 70.036. BRANCH PILOT APPOINTMENT BY GOVERNOR. (a) On filing of the bond and oath required by Section 70.038, the board shall certify to the governor that a person licensed as a branch pilot has qualified. (b) On receipt of the board's certification, the governor shall issue …

Sec. 70.037. DEPUTY BRANCH PILOT APPOINTMENT BY BRANCH PILOT. (a) Each branch pilot, subject to examination and approval of the board, may appoint two deputy branch pilots. (b) A branch pilot may appoint an additional deputy branch pilot if the board considers the appointment adv…

Sec. 70.038. OATH AND BOND. (a) A person appointed as a pilot must take the official oath before entering service as a pilot. The oath shall be endorsed on the bond required by Subsection (b). (b) Each pilot must execute a $25,000 bond payable to the governor and conditioned on c…

Sec. 70.039. TERMS OF LICENSES AND CERTIFICATES. (a) A branch pilot's license expires on the fourth anniversary of the date it is issued or renewed. (b) A deputy branch pilot's certificate expires on the second anniversary of the date it is issued and may not be renewed. Added by…

Sec. 70.040. BRANCH PILOT'S LICENSE RENEWAL. (a) The governor shall renew a branch pilot's expiring license if the board recommends renewal. (b) If a pilot applies in writing and qualifies, the board shall recommend renewal unless the board determines there is probable cause not …

Sec. 70.041. DEPUTY BRANCH PILOT. A person who has been issued a deputy branch pilot's certificate may not be issued a deputy branch pilot's certificate before the fifth anniversary of the date the person was previously issued a deputy branch pilot's certificate. Added by Acts 19…

Sec. 70.042. SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF BRANCH PILOT'S LICENSE. (a) On complaint or on its own motion, and after notice and hearing, the board may suspend a branch pilot's license for not more than six months or recommend that the governor revoke a branch pilot's license if the …

Sec. 70.043. SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF DEPUTY BRANCH PILOT'S CERTIFICATE. A deputy branch pilot certificate may be suspended or revoked by the board in the same manner and for the same reasons as provided for the suspension or revocation of a branch pilot's license by Section 7…

Sec. 70.044. LIABILITY TO PILOT. (a) A person who is not a pilot and who, in violation of this chapter, pilots a vessel and the consignee of the vessel are liable to the pilot, on written demand, for the amount of the applicable pilotage rate. (b) In an action to recover compensa…

Sec. 70.061. PILOTAGE RATE CHANGE. (a) The board may not change pilotage rates before the first anniversary of the preceding rate change. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 359, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Sec. 70.062. PILOTAGE RATE CHANGE APPLICATION. (a) An application for a change in a pilotage rate may be filed with each commissioner of the board by: (1) one or more pilots; or (2) the owner, agent, or consignee of a vessel navigating to or from the Port of Corpus Christi. (b) T…

Sec. 70.063. OBJECTION; HEARING. (a) If, not later than the 20th day after the date notice is sent, a commissioner receives a written objection to the application from any person who appears to have a legitimate interest in the application, the board shall hold a hearing as provi…

Sec. 70.064. BOARD ACTION ON APPLICATION. (a) If an objection to an application for a rate change is not received by any commissioner within the period provided by Section 70.063(a), the board shall act on the application without further proceedings. (b) If a hearing is held as p…

Sec. 70.065. PILOT FINANCIAL REPORT. (a) Not later than the 10th day before the date set for a pilotage rate hearing, the pilots who are licensed or certified to serve the port for which the rates are being considered shall submit in writing to the board and to any party designat…

Sec. 70.066. FACTORS FOR BOARD CONSIDERATION. In acting on a pilotage rate change application, the board shall consider: (1) characteristics of vessels to be piloted including but not limited to the size of the vessel and the degree of difficulty to maneuver; (2) costs to pilots …

Sec. 70.067. BOARD ACTION. (a) A board order granting, denying, or modifying an application for a rate change must state its effective date. The order is final, except as provided by Subsection (b). (b) Any party aggrieved by the board's order may, after exhausting all administra…

Sec. 70.068. REPORTING AND STENOGRAPHIC COSTS. (a) The board may assess the actual costs the board considers fair and just for reporting and stenographic services necessarily incurred in connection with a hearing against one or more of the applicants and objecting parties. (b) Th…

Sec. 70.069. ORDER FILED. (a) The board shall file a copy of its order with the Nueces County clerk. (b) The board shall file the order not later than the 20th day after: (1) the closing date of a hearing held as provided by Section 70.063(b); or (2) if the hearing is not held, t…

Sec. 70.070. EMERGENCY PILOTAGE RATES. (a) The board may establish emergency pilotage rates for the period of an emergency, not to exceed 90 days, if the board finds that: (1) a natural or man-made disaster has created a substantial hazard to piloting vessels into and out of a po…

Sec. 70.071. PILOT SERVICES REQUIRED. The consignee of a vessel under the consignee's control shall obtain pilot services for the vessel and shall pay the pilot who pilots the vessel into and out of the port area compensation according to the pilotage rates filed by the board. Ad…

Sec. 70.072. LIABILITY. (a) A pilot who charges a pilotage rate for pilot services different from the pilotage rates established under this chapter for the port in which the pilot serves is liable to each person who was charged the different rate for double the amount of pilotage…

Sec. 70.081. PURPOSE. The purpose of this subchapter is to: (1) in the public interest, stimulate and preserve maritime commerce on the pilotage grounds of this state by limiting and regulating the liability of pilots; and (2) maintain pilotage fees at reasonable levels. Added by…

Sec. 70.082. PILOT LIABILITY. A pilot is not liable directly or as a member of an organization of pilots for a claim that: (1) arises from an act or omission of another pilot or organization of pilots; and (2) relates directly or indirectly to pilot services. Added by Acts 1997, …

Sec. 70.083. PILOTS LIABILITY LIMITED. (a) A pilot providing pilot services is not liable for more than $1,000 for damage or loss caused by the pilot's error, omission, fault, or neglect in the performance of the pilot services, except as provided by Subsection (b). (b) Subsectio…

Sec. 71.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: (1) "Consignee" means a person, including a master, owner, agent, subagent, firm, or corporation or any combination of those persons, who enters or clears a vessel at the office of the collector of customs. (2) "Navigation district" mean…

Sec. 71.002. APPLICABILITY OF CHAPTER. This chapter applies only to: (1) a navigation district located in Cameron County; (2) the pilot board of a navigation district located in Cameron County; (3) a pilot serving in the jurisdiction of the pilot board of a navigation district lo…

Sec. 71.051. PILOT BOARD; COMMISSIONERS OF PILOTS. (a) The pilot board of a navigation district in Cameron County is composed of that navigation district's navigation and canal commissioners. (b) A member of the pilot board is a commissioner of pilots. Added by Acts 2025, 89th Le…

Sec. 71.052. TERM OF OFFICE. The term of office of a commissioner of pilots of the pilot board of a navigation district in Cameron County coincides with the person's term as a navigation and canal commissioner of that navigation district. Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. …

Sec. 71.053. DISQUALIFICATION. A person may not be a commissioner of pilots of the pilot board of a navigation district in Cameron County if the person is engaged directly or indirectly in: (1) a towing business; (2) a pilot boat business; or (3) another business affected by or c…

Sec. 71.054. JURISDICTION. The pilot board of a navigation district in Cameron County has exclusive jurisdiction over the pilotage of a vessel between the Gulf of Mexico and a port of that navigation district, including an intermediate stop or landing place on a navigable stream …

Sec. 71.055. POWERS OF PILOT BOARDS. The pilot board of a navigation district in Cameron County may: (1) appoint, suspend, or dismiss a branch pilot or deputy branch pilot of a port in that navigation district; (2) establish pilotage rates for service in that board's jurisdiction…

Sec. 71.101. PILOT QUALIFICATIONS. The pilot board of a navigation district in Cameron County shall examine and determine the qualifications of each applicant for the position of branch pilot or deputy branch pilot in that navigation district before licensing the branch pilot or …

Sec. 71.102. QUALIFICATIONS FOR LICENSE AS BRANCH PILOT. To be eligible for a license as a branch pilot in the jurisdiction of the pilot board of a navigation district in Cameron County, a person must: (1) be at least 25 years of age; (2) be a United States citizen; (3) as of the…

Sec. 71.103. QUALIFICATIONS FOR CERTIFICATE AS DEPUTY BRANCH PILOT. To be eligible for a certificate as a deputy branch pilot in the jurisdiction of the pilot board of a navigation district in Cameron County, a person must: (1) be at least 25 years of age; (2) be a United States …

Sec. 71.104. OATH; BOND. (a) A person appointed as a pilot in the jurisdiction of the pilot board of a navigation district in Cameron County must take the official oath before entering service as a pilot under that board's jurisdiction. The oath shall be endorsed on the bond requ…

Sec. 71.105. ISSUANCE OF BRANCH PILOT LICENSE. (a) On the filing of the bond and the taking of the oath required by Section 71.104, a commissioner of pilots of the applicable pilot board shall certify to the governor that the branch pilot has qualified. (b) On receiving the certi…

Sec. 71.106. TERM OF BRANCH PILOT'S COMMISSION. (a) The term of a branch pilot commission is four years. (b) If the pilot board of a navigation district dismisses a branch pilot from service in that board's jurisdiction, the branch pilot's commission expires. Added by Acts 2025, …

Sec. 71.107. APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY BRANCH PILOT. (a) Only a branch pilot licensed for water in the jurisdiction of the pilot board of a navigation district in Cameron County may appoint a deputy branch pilot to serve in that board's jurisdiction. (b) A branch pilot serving in the…

Sec. 71.108. SUSPENSION OR DISMISSAL OF PILOT. The pilot board of a navigation district in Cameron County may suspend or dismiss a pilot only: (1) for misconduct, inefficiency, or intoxication on duty; and (2) after a hearing on the accusation is held before the pilot board at wh…

Sec. 71.151. APPLICABILITY OF PILOTAGE CHARGES TO CERTAIN VESSELS. (a) Pilotage charges under this chapter do not apply to: (1) a vessel of 20 tons or less; or (2) a vessel that is excepted by a federal statute or regulation. (b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), pilotage charges u…