A. The board shall issue a permit to any person who provides maritime crew, staff, or maritime services, including consulting services involving maritime issues, directly related to the maintenance and operation of a riverboat. The person or, if the person is a corporation or firm, an officer of the corporation or firm furnishing such crew or such maritime services shall possess, as a minimum, credentials equivalent to those required by the United States Coast Guard to be licensed as a master, chief engineer, or pilot. Any person offering to provide maritime crew, staff, or such direct maritime services after October 1, 1999, shall be issued a permit in accordance with the provisions of this Subsection prior to providing such crew, staff, or maritime services to a riverboat.
B. The provisions of Subsection A of this Section do not apply to any individual who is an employee of the riverboat licensee for whom such services are performed. Persons required to obtain a permit to provide other services including janitorial, marine architectural, engineering and construction, and dredging shall obtain a permit for such services as otherwise provided for in this Chapter.