HCS HB 96 -- BOATING SAFETY

SPONSOR:  Crawford (Luetkemeyer)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on
Transportation and Motor Vehicles by a vote of 16 to 3.

This substitute requires any person born after January 1, 1984,
to possess a boating safety identification card in order to
operate a vessel or personal watercraft on the Mississippi and
Missouri rivers and Missouri lakes.  The State Water Patrol will
issue the card.  The card will be issued to persons who:  (1)
have successfully completed a boating safety course approved by
the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and
certified by the Missouri State Water Patrol; (2)  have passed an
equivalency examination prepared and administered by the Water
Patrol; or (3)  hold a valid master's, mate's, or operator's
license issued by the United States Coast Guard.  The Water
Patrol may charge a fee for the card that does not substantially
exceed the administrative cost of this provision.

The substitute also requires that any person convicted of certain
boating offenses must enroll and complete a boating safety
education course which meets the Water Patrol's minimum
standards, file proof of successful completion of the course with
the court, and not operate a vessel until filing proof.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not available at time of printing.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that boater safety education can be
the most effective way of saving lives on the waterways.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Luetkemeyer; State
Water Patrol; National Marine Manufactures Association; Ozark
Marine Dealers Association; Norma Williams; Mary Vitor, New
Comers/Long Timers, Lake Ozark.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Robert Triplett, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated July 25, 2003 at 10:10 am