Boating Safety Act of 2022 Summary

• Courts may impose fines up to $1,000 per violation for boating collisions and accidents, with funds deposited into the Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund for law enforcement activities.

• Beginning January 1, 2023, liveries must obtain a no-cost annual permit from the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and meet requirements including valid insurance ($500,000 per person/$1 million per event), proper safety equipment, and boating safety information displays.

• Liveries must require pre-rental/pre-ride safety instruction from instructors certified in boating safety courses, with renters providing signed attestations; renters must be 18+ and liveries must maintain written agreements with renter information.

• Violations result in escalating penalties: second-degree misdemeanor for first violations within 3 years; first-degree misdemeanor with $500 minimum fine for second violations within 3 years; and first-degree misdemeanor with $1,000 minimum fine for third violations within 5 years; repeated violators prohibited from operating liveries for 90 days.

• Increases noncriminal infraction penalties for various boating violations and adds new civil penalties for improper vessel title transfers and failure to update registration information within 6 months; persons convicted of boating violations must complete mandatory boating safety education courses.