Florida Senate - 2011                                     SB 498
       
       
       
       By Senator Margolis
       
       
       
       
       35-00582-11                                            2011498__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to vessel safety; amending s. 327.50,
    3         F.S.; revising the requirements for floatation
    4         devices; providing an effective date.
    5  
    6  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    7  
    8         Section 1. Section 327.50, Florida Statutes, is amended to
    9  read:
   10         327.50 Vessel safety regulations; equipment and lighting
   11  requirements.—
   12         (1)(a) The owner and operator of every vessel on the waters
   13  of this state shall carry, store, maintain, and use safety
   14  equipment in accordance with current United States Coast Guard
   15  safety equipment requirements as specified in the Code of
   16  Federal Regulations, unless expressly exempted by the
   17  department.
   18         (b) No person shall operate a vessel less than 26 feet in
   19  length on the waters of this state unless every person under 6
   20  years of age on board the vessel is wearing an appropriate
   21  personal floatation device approved by the a type I, type II, or
   22  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         (2) No person shall operate a vessel on the waters of this
   27  state unless said vessel is equipped with properly serviceable
   28  lights and shapes required by the navigation rules.
   29         (3) The use of sirens or flashing, occulting, or revolving
   30  lights on any vessel is prohibited, except as expressly provided
   31  in the navigation rules or annexes thereto.
   32         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.