This bill authorizes harbor commissions and other entities that regulate harbors to establish and collect a fee of no more than 3¢ per ton per vessel calculated on the gross tonnage of an oceangoing vessel or no more than 25¢ per passenger for a passenger ship on a domestic or international voyage. Vessels weighing less than 500 gross tons, vessels providing daily service to islands that are part of the State and whose service is funded in whole or in part by the State, military vessels, historic vessels owned or operated by tax-exempt organizations, public vessels, certain coastal or international ferries and vessels seeking harbors of refuge are exempted from the fee.

The bill restricts the use of any fees collected to pay for the cost of the administration and services provided by the harbor regulatory body and the harbor master, the purchase or maintenance of harbor safety equipment, harbor emergency response capability and harbor security.