HB 552 Summary

• Converts lower-severity boating and ocean recreation violations into civil offenses subject to administrative fines only, rather than criminal penalties.

• Establishes violations of water quality standards, reckless or unauthorized vessel operation, unauthorized mooring, commercial boating rule violations, and operating under the influence as misdemeanor offenses.

• Clarifies that administrative fines can be imposed in addition to civil or criminal penalties for boating and ocean recreation law violations.

• Amends section 200-14 to replace criminal fines of $50-$1,000 with tiered administrative fines for general violations and misdemeanor penalties for water quality violations.

• Amends section 200-25 to replace criminal penalties with administrative fines for general violations while establishing misdemeanor status for reckless operation, unauthorized mooring, and commercial boating violations.