Bill Text: FL S0746 | 2016 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: Vessel Registrations

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2016-03-08 - Laid on Table, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/CS/HB 427 (Ch. 2016-126) [S0746 Detail]

Download: Florida-2016-S0746-Comm_Sub.html

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       Florida Senate - 2016                              CS for SB 746
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Appropriations; and Senators Negron, Sachs,
       and Latvala
       
       576-04479-16                                           2016746c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to vessel registrations; amending s.
    3         328.72, F.S.; defining terms; reducing vessel
    4         registration fees for recreational vessels equipped
    5         with certain position indicating and locating beacons;
    6         providing criteria for such reduction; amending s.
    7         328.66, F.S.; clarifying county optional registration
    8         fees; providing an appropriation; providing an
    9         effective date.
   10          
   11  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   12  
   13         Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 328.72, Florida
   14  Statutes, is amended, and subsection (18) is added to that
   15  section, to read:
   16         328.72 Classification; registration; fees and charges;
   17  surcharge; disposition of fees; fines; marine turtle stickers.—
   18         (1) VESSEL REGISTRATION FEE.—Vessels that are required to
   19  be registered shall be classified for registration purposes
   20  according to the following schedule, and, except as provided in
   21  subsection (18), the registration certificate fee shall be in
   22  the following amounts:
   23         (a) Class A-1—Less than 12 feet in length, and all canoes
   24  to which propulsion motors have been attached, regardless of
   25  length: $5.50 for each 12-month period registered.
   26         (b) Class A-2—12 feet or more and less than 16 feet in
   27  length: $16.25 for each 12-month period registered.
   28  (To county): 2.85 for each 12-month period registered.
   29         (c) Class 1—16 feet or more and less than 26 feet in
   30  length: $28.75 for each 12-month period registered.
   31  (To county): 8.85 for each 12-month period registered.
   32         (d) Class 2—26 feet or more and less than 40 feet in
   33  length: $78.25 for each 12-month period registered.
   34  (To county): 32.85 for each 12-month period registered.
   35         (e) Class 3—40 feet or more and less than 65 feet in
   36  length: $127.75 for each 12-month period registered.
   37  (To county): 56.85 for each 12-month period registered.
   38         (f) Class 4—65 feet or more and less than 110 feet in
   39  length: $152.75 for each 12-month period registered.
   40  (To county): 68.85 for each 12-month period registered.
   41         (g) Class 5—110 feet or more in length: $189.75 for each
   42  12-month period registered.
   43  (To county): 86.85 for each 12-month period registered.
   44         (h) Dealer registration certificate: $25.50 for each 12
   45  month period registered.
   46  The county portion of the vessel registration fee is derived
   47  from recreational vessels only.
   48         (18) REDUCED VESSEL REGISTRATION FEE.—
   49         (a) For the purposes of this subsection, the term:
   50         1. “Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon” means an
   51  electronic device designed to be installed on a vessel which,
   52  when activated, transmits a distress call on a designated
   53  emergency frequency to a satellite receiver and is used by
   54  rescue personnel to locate the position of the signal.
   55         2. “Personal Locator Beacon” means an electronic device
   56  designed to be carried on a person which, when activated, will
   57  transmit a distress call on a designated emergency frequency to
   58  a satellite receiver and is used by rescue personnel to locate
   59  the position of the signal.
   60         (b) The registration certificate fee imposed pursuant to
   61  subsection (1) for a recreational vessel equipped with an
   62  Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon or for a recreational
   63  vessel whose owner owns a Personal Locator Beacon shall be
   64  reduced to the following amounts:
   65         1. Class A-1: $2.95 for each 12-month period registered.
   66         2. Class A-2: $11.00 for each 12-month period registered.
   67         3. Class 1: $20.40 for each 12-month period registered.
   68         4. Class 2: $57.50 for each 12-month period registered.
   69         5. Class 3: $94.65 for each 12-month period registered.
   70         6. Class 4: $113.40 for each 12-month period registered.
   71         7. Class 5: $141.15 for each 12-month period registered.
   72         (c) A person who owns a Personal Locator Beacon and who
   73  owns more than one recreational vessel may only apply the
   74  applicable reduced fee pursuant to this subsection to one
   75  vessel.
   76         (d) In order to qualify for reduced vessel registration
   77  fees pursuant to this subsection, a vessel owner must
   78  demonstrate that the Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon
   79  or Personal Locator Beacon is registered with the National
   80  Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under 47 C.F.R. part 80
   81  or part 95. The owner must provide proof of registration from
   82  the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
   83         Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 328.66, Florida
   84  Statutes, is amended to read:
   85         328.66 County and municipality optional registration fee.—
   86         (1) Any county may impose an annual registration fee on
   87  vessels registered, operated, used, or stored on the waters of
   88  this state within its jurisdiction. This fee shall be 50 percent
   89  of the applicable state registration fee as listed in the s.
   90  328.72(1)(a)-(g) fee schedule, without considering the reduced
   91  vessel registration fee provisions as specified in s.
   92  328.72(18). However, the first $1 of every registration imposed
   93  under this subsection shall be remitted to the state for deposit
   94  in the Save the Manatee Trust Fund created within the Fish and
   95  Wildlife Conservation Commission, and shall be used only for the
   96  purposes specified in s. 379.2431(4). All other moneys received
   97  from such fee shall be expended for the patrol, regulation, and
   98  maintenance of the lakes, rivers, and waters and for other
   99  boating-related activities of such municipality or county. A
  100  municipality that was imposing a registration fee before April
  101  1, 1984, may continue to levy such fee, notwithstanding the
  102  provisions of this section.
  103         Section 3. For the 2016-2017 fiscal year, the sum of
  104  $500,000 in recurring funds is appropriated from the General
  105  Revenue Fund to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
  106  for deposit in the Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund.
  107  These funds shall be used for the sole purpose of offsetting the
  108  reduction in the base vessel registration fees as provided by
  109  this act.
  110         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.