| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to vessel safety regulations; amending s. |
| 3 | 327.50, F.S.; removing state requirements for certain |
| 4 | children to wear a personal flotation device while on |
| 5 | board certain vessels; providing an effective date. |
| 6 |
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| 7 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 8 |
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| 9 | Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 327.50, Florida |
| 10 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 11 | 327.50 Vessel safety regulations; equipment and lighting |
| 12 | requirements.- |
| 13 | (1)(a) The owner and operator of every vessel on the |
| 14 | waters of this state shall carry, store, maintain, and use |
| 15 | safety equipment in accordance with current United States Coast |
| 16 | Guard safety equipment requirements as specified in the Code of |
| 17 | Federal Regulations, unless expressly exempted by the |
| 18 | department. |
| 19 | (b) No person shall operate a vessel less than 26 feet in |
| 20 | length on the waters of this state unless every person under 6 |
| 21 | years of age on board the vessel is wearing a type I, type II, |
| 22 | or type III Coast Guard approved personal flotation device while |
| 23 | such vessel is underway. For the purpose of this section, |
| 24 | "underway" shall mean at all times except when a vessel is |
| 25 | anchored, moored, made fast to the shore, or aground. |
| 26 | Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |