CS/CS/HB 955 Summary

• Permits boating safety courses to be offered online or in-person; transfers boating safety program responsibility from Department of Environmental Protection to Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

• Extends the mooring vessel pilot program expiration date from July 1, 2014 to July 1, 2017 and requires an updated report by January 1, 2017.

• Eliminates exemption from boating safety education requirements for boating law violators and expands allowable uses of vessel registration fee revenues by counties to include boat piers, docks, mooring buoys, and vessel removal.

• Repeals special recreational spiny lobster licenses (s. 379.355), annual gear licenses (s. 379.363(1)(h) and (i)), haul seine and trawl permits for Lake Okeechobee (s. 379.3635), and noncommercial trawling provisions.

• Clarifies military gold sportsman's license activities; transfers developmental disabilities services responsibility from Department of Children and Families to Agency for Persons with Disabilities; takes effect July 1, 2014.