HB 556: Watercraft; boat liveries and education courses; provide

The House Committee on Game, Fish and Parks offers the following substitute to HB 556:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

To amend Code Section 52-7-8.3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to operation of watercraft, identification, and operation by minors, so as to provide for boat rentals and education courses; to provide for a penalty; to provide for a definition; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Code Section 52-7-8.3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to operation of watercraft, identification, and operation by minors, is amended by revising subsection (g) as follows:

"(g)(1) As used in this subsection, the term 'course' means a rental education course as provided for in paragraph (3) of this subsection. No person shall rent, lease, or let for hire any vessel ten horsepower or more to any person under 16 years of age. On and after July 1, 2014, a person 16 years of age or older may rent or lease any vessel ten horsepower or more if such person has completed a boating education course approved by the department. This subsection shall not apply to any person licensed by the United States Coast Guard as a master of a vessel or a nonresident who has in his or her possession proof that he or she has completed a National Association of State Boating Law Administrators approved boater education course or equivalency examination from another state.

(2) No person shall rent, lease, or let for hire any vessel ten horsepower or more to any person under 18 years of age. No person shall operate a vessel that has been rented, leased, or let for hire unless such person is 18 years of age or older and has completed a rental education course approved by the department. A person 18 years of age or older may rent, lease, or let for hire a vessel ten horsepower or more if such person has completed a rental education course approved by the department. No person may rent, lease, or let for hire a vessel ten horsepower or more to a person 18 years of age or older unless such person has completed a rental education course approved by the department and, if one or more additional persons 18 years or age or older will be present on such vessel, at least one additional person has completed such course.

(3) Rental education courses provided pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection must be approved by the department and must result in the issuance of a rental education certificate upon successful completion of the course. Rental education certificates shall be effective for six months after the date of issuance and shall be valid anywhere in this state. Boat liveries shall use course materials approved by the department. At a minimum, a course must consist of a ten-minute operation familiarization video followed by a renter orientation checklist. Such video must address the following topics in order to be approved:

(A) Operator responsibility, ethics, courtesy, and good judgment on the water;

(B) Safety equipment;

(C) Navigation rules;

(D) Aids to navigation, and buoys and other waterway markers; and

(E) Proper identification.

(4) The requirement to complete a course does not apply to any person licensed by the United States Coast Guard as a master of a vessel, any person who has in his or her possession a valid boater education identification card showing that he or she has completed a boating education course approved by the department, or a person who has in his or her possession proof that he or she has completed a National Association of State Boating Law Administrators approved boater education course or equivalency examination from another state.

(5) Any person who violates this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor."

SECTION 2.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.