Events

VA passes boating safety education bill

Effective 7/1/07

HB 1627 Boating safety education; must complete to operate motorboat or personal watercraft, civil penalty. Kathy J. Byron

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Summary as passed: (all summaries)
Mandatory boating safety education; civil penalty.  Makes it $100 civil penalty for anyone to operate a motorboat with a motor of 10 horsepower or greater without having successfully completed an approved boating safety education course. The education requirement is phased-in so that by July 1, 2016, all motorboat operators will have been required to complete and pass the course or an equivalency exam. The Board is directed to develop and administer the boating safety education program through the promulgation of regulations, taking into account comments from the public. There are a number of ways a person can comply with the law other than successfully completing an approved course, such as passing an equivalency examination, possessing a valid license issued to maritime personnel, being registered as a commercial fisherman, etc. This bill is identical to SB 1241.

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Posted April 2007.