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Area Coordinator: Stu Soffer, N-LAE |
State Liaison: George McGill |
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Georgia Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Coast Guard Auxiliary District: 7th and 8CR Coast Guard District: 7th and 8th
First Quarter Report, 2008:
House Bill 1000 In Georgia, substantial effort has been aimed at creating and passing boat titling legislation. According to Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Georgia has the highest per capita boating thefts in the nation. The legislation was approved unanimously in November by the Georgia Boating Advisory Council. A House Rules Committee substitute of the boat titling bill (authored by State Representative John Heard) passed in the full House of Representatives in March. The legislation has been referred to the Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee. Assuming this bill is amended to make requirements of vessels over 10 horse power, and amended to make the provisions voluntary, this bill should pass the Senate, and the House will probably agree with the Senate passed version. Time is the biggest detriment to passage of this legislation, although Representative Heard continues to put considerable effort towards passage. Behind the scenes, Members of the Boating Advisory Council (GBAC) will continue to assist DNR in passage of this important legislation.
Senate Bill 389 A version of this bill, creating the Georgia mandatory boater Education Act, was also a key component of the Georgia Boating Advisory Council's legislative package for the 2008 Session. The bill was amended on 28 February in the Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee, and received a "do-pass" recommendation. However, the time clock has prevented this bill from coming to the full Senate Floor this session; therefore, the bill is dead for 2008. All parties involved, however, have learned that passage of this bill is going to be a very up-hill battle, but members of the GBAC and DNR will continue this worthwhile effort during the 2009 Session.
House Bill 964 This legislation proposes the establishment of state boating safety zones where federal boating safety zones already exist in state waters. Passage should make coordination of effort for maritime security more effective between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. This legislation passed the House on 11 March and is now pending in the Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee. Chances for passage are excellent, although we are now facing a logjam of bills for the balance of the Session, which is expected to conclude in early April.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Fourth Quarter Report, 2007: No new legislation introduced this quarter. It is anticipated that the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will sponsor two bills to be introduced in early February (of '08) The first is a Mandatory Boating Safety Education Act. The second will be to create a first-time vessel titling Act. The mandatory boating safety education act draft includes provisions that will prohibit any person from operating a recreational vessel unless they have completed a course in safe boating that has been approved by NASBLA and certified by the state. Boating exams would have to be proctored! Exceptions would include: a. marine certificates issued by the Canadian government; b. persons possessing a state approved nonrenewable temporary operator's permit to operate the vessel which was issued with a new boat or with a transfer of ownership; c. persons possessing an approved rental agreement or lease agreement; d. persons not a resident of Georgia, temporarily using the waters of the state for a period not to exceed 60 days; e. persons who operate vessels under supervised training, as authorized in other provisions of GA laws. The legislation will also provide criteria for regulations, including requirements for certifying and approving proctors to administer exams. The provisions of the mandates will apply to persons: (1) Less than 20 years of age on July 1, 2009 (2) Less than 30 years of age on July 1, 2010 (3) Less than 40 years of age on July 1, 2011 (4) Less than 50 years of age on July 1, 2012 (5) Less than 60 years of age on July 1, 2013 (6) Sixty years of age or older on July 1, 2014. Third Quarter Report, 2007:
No boating-related legislative activity reported this quarter.
Updated Tuesday July 01, 2008 | |
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