FL H0427

Establishes reduced recreational vessel registration fees for vessels equipped with an emergency position-indicating radio beacon or owned by persons with a personal locator beacon, effective July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017.

Reduced fees apply to one vessel per owner only and require proof of beacon registration with the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles may adopt rules specifying required proof.

Fee reductions range from $4.24 for Class A-1 vessels to $167.11 for Class 5 vessels, with the difference between full and reduced fees transferred from General Revenue Fund to the Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund.

Clarifies that reduced fees do not apply to county and municipality optional registration fees, which remain calculated at 50 percent of the full state registration fee under section 328.72(1).

Entire reduced fee program expires July 1, 2017; effective date is July 1, 2016.