This bill amends RCW 47.64.340 to define the captain (also called master or commanding officer) as the ultimate authority and responsible officer for a Washington State Ferries vessel and its personnel while under their command, and it lists specific captain duties including safe navigation, compliance with laws and agency policies, directing crew performance, training, security and environmental protection, overseeing vessel operations, meeting department performance expectations, and coordinating arrivals, departures, and other operations. The bill creates a procedural change for ferry bargaining units: if a majority of captains in the masters and pilots bargaining unit vote to be included, the Public Employees Relations Commission must certify a combined masters, mates, and pilots bargaining unit by August 31, 2025, with that certification taking effect July 1, 2026. Beginning with collective bargaining for the 2027–2029 biennium, the employer must negotiate with whichever exclusive bargaining representative is applicable depending on whether that certification condition is met (the combined unit’s representative if certified, otherwise the captains-only bargaining unit’s representative). This is a modification of existing law that adds a formal definition of captain authority and responsibilities and establishes a timeline and process for changing bargaining unit composition and which representative negotiates collective bargaining agreements; it is a procedural change rather than a criminal or penalty change. The text does not name the specific department, does not fully define “employer” or the precise composition of the bargaining units beyond the terms used, and does not provide full prior statutory context.

If enacted, the bill makes captains the clear, ultimate authority aboard Washington State Ferries and spells out duties such as safe navigation, directing crew, overseeing operations, training, security, and meeting department performance expectations. That clarity will likely increase the formal accountability and day-to-day responsibility placed on captains, which could change how the ferry system enforces performance and training, and may raise the potential for increased supervisory workload or liability for captains; the bill does not specify any new funding to cover added training or oversight costs. The bill also creates a deadline-driven option for most captains in the existing masters and pilots bargaining unit to vote to join a new combined masters, mates, and pilots unit, with a certification deadline of August 31, 2025 and effectiveness July 1, 2026; if certified, the employer would negotiate contracts with that combined unit beginning with the 2027–2029 biennium, otherwise negotiations would remain with a captains-only representative. This changes bargaining options and could shift bargaining leverage, negotiation complexity, and administrative costs for both employees and the employer, but important details about which specific agency is the “department” or “employer” and the prior bargaining history are not provided here, so the exact impacts on pay, staffing, or benefits remain uncertain.