HB 594 Summary

• Adds requirement for chief of division of watercraft to adopt rules governing vessel safety inspection checkpoints that comply with constitutional and statutory provisions on searches and seizures by law enforcement officers.

• Removes blanket authority for watercraft officers to stop, board, and conduct safety inspections of any vessel and replaces it with two specific conditions authorizing such inspections.

• Permits safety inspections only when officer has reasonable suspicion of a violation of boating laws or state law, or when conducting an authorized checkpoint operation under rules adopted by the division chief.

• Establishes that vessel safety inspection checkpoint operations must be conducted according to rules adopted under the amended statute to ensure constitutional compliance.