Florida Senate - 2016 SB 746
By Senator Negron
32-00714-16 2016746__
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 $5
104 million in recurring funds is appropriated from the General
105 Revenue Fund to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor
106 Vehicles for the purpose of offsetting the reduction in the base
107 vessel registration fees as provided by this act.
108 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2016.