Section 19A. (a) A person who receives an appointment as a harbormaster or as an assistant harbormaster on a full-time or permanent part-time basis in a city or town where a harbor is located shall satisfactorily complete an initial prescribed course of study for harbormasters which shall be approved by the harbormaster training council established pursuant to section 116D of chapter 6 and offered at a time to be determined by said harbormaster training council. A person so appointed shall attend, at such further intervals and for such periods as determined by the harbormaster training council, a prescribed course of study for harbormasters which shall be approved by the council, for in-service training. Upon petition to the council by the appointing authority, a person appointed as a harbormaster or as an assistant harbormaster, on a full-time or permanent part-time basis, in a city or town where a harbor is located, may be exempted by the council from the requirements of this section before exercising harbormaster powers while that person is awaiting training.

(b) Failure of a person to comply with this section within 2 years of being appointed as a harbormaster or as an assistant harbormaster on a full-time or permanent part-time basis in a city or town where a harbor is located shall result in removal by the appointing authority if the harbormaster or assistant harbormaster is not awaiting funding and scheduling of a harbormaster academy. Failure of an appointed person to satisfactorily complete the in-service prescribed course of study in a timely manner may result in removal by the appointing authority. This section shall not apply to seasonal employees appointed by the harbormaster from time to time.