| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to vessel safety; amending s. 327.39, |
| 3 | F.S.; revising certain requirements for operating personal |
| 4 | watercraft; prohibiting operation of such watercraft by |
| 5 | certain persons except under adult supervision; amending |
| 6 | s. 327.54, F.S.; revising the requirements relating to the |
| 7 | boating safety course required for leasing or renting a |
| 8 | personal watercraft from a livery; providing an effective |
| 9 | date. |
| 10 |
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| 11 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 12 |
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| 13 | Section 1. Subsections (5) and (6) of section 327.39, |
| 14 | Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
| 15 | 327.39 Personal watercraft regulated.- |
| 16 | (5) No person under the age of 14 shall operate any |
| 17 | personal watercraft on the waters of this state, and no person |
| 18 | under the age of 16 shall operate such watercraft without adult |
| 19 | supervision. |
| 20 | (6)(a) It is unlawful for the owner of any personal |
| 21 | watercraft or any person having charge over or control of a |
| 22 | personal watercraft to authorize or knowingly permit the same to |
| 23 | be operated by a person under 16 14 years of age in violation of |
| 24 | this section or by a person who does not hold a boating safety |
| 25 | identification card in compliance with s. 327.395(1). |
| 26 | (b)1. It is unlawful for the owner of any leased, hired, |
| 27 | or rented personal watercraft, or any person having charge over |
| 28 | or control of a leased, hired, or rented personal watercraft, to |
| 29 | authorize or knowingly permit the watercraft to be operated by |
| 30 | any person who has not received instruction in the safe handling |
| 31 | of personal watercraft, in compliance with s. 327.54 and rules |
| 32 | established by the commission. |
| 33 | 2. Any person receiving instruction in the safe handling |
| 34 | of personal watercraft pursuant to s. 327.54 and any a program |
| 35 | established by rule of the commission must provide the owner of, |
| 36 | or person having charge of or control over, a leased, hired, or |
| 37 | rented personal watercraft with a written statement attesting to |
| 38 | the same. |
| 39 | 3. The commission shall have the authority to establish |
| 40 | rules pursuant to chapter 120 prescribing the instruction to be |
| 41 | given, which shall take into account the nature and operational |
| 42 | characteristics of personal watercraft and general principles |
| 43 | and regulations pertaining to boating safety. |
| 44 | (c) Any person who violates this subsection commits a |
| 45 | misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. |
| 46 | 775.082 or s. 775.083. |
| 47 | Section 2. Subsection (4) of section 327.54, Florida |
| 48 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 49 | 327.54 Liveries; safety regulations; penalty.- |
| 50 | (4)(a) A livery may not knowingly lease, hire, or rent a |
| 51 | personal watercraft to any person who is under 18 years of age. |
| 52 | (b) A livery may not knowingly lease, hire, or rent a |
| 53 | personal watercraft to any person who has not received |
| 54 | instruction in the safe handling of personal watercraft pursuant |
| 55 | to rule 68D-36.107, Florida Administrative Code, or any other |
| 56 | rule, in compliance with rules established by the commission |
| 57 | pursuant to chapter 120. |
| 58 | (c) Any person receiving instruction in the safe handling |
| 59 | of personal watercraft pursuant to rule 68D-36.107, Florida |
| 60 | Administrative Code, or any other a program established by rule |
| 61 | of the commission, must provide the livery with a written |
| 62 | statement attesting to the same. |
| 63 |
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| 64 | Any agent or employee delivering the information specified in |
| 65 | this subsection must enroll in, attend, and successfully |
| 66 | complete, at his or her own expense, a boating safety course |
| 67 | approved by the National Association of State Boating Law |
| 68 | Administrators and the commission. |
| 69 | Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2010. |