S.B. 795 Summary

• Requires the Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation to set mooring and liveaboard fees at fair market value as determined by state-licensed appraisers, eliminating separate resident and nonresident fee categories.

• Eliminates cost-of-living adjustment provisions for annual moorage fee increases and removes the previous two-tier fee schedule (Schedule A for existing permittees and Schedule B for new applicants).

• Changes liveaboard fees from a per-foot calculation ($5.20-$7.80 per foot monthly) to two times the standard moorage fee for a vessel of the same size.

• Provides the department an additional option for commercial maritime activity fees: charging either three percent of gross revenues, $1.50 per passenger carried for hire, or two times the recreational vessel moorage fee, whichever is greater.

• Takes effect upon approval and applies to state small boat harbor fees statewide, addressing approximately $310 million in deferred maintenance backlogs.