Florida Boaters Unite: defeat HB 955 and SB 1126

[sparrowhawk1]

Correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding is the purchase, installation, maintenance, administration fees,and dinghy dock costs make it almost impossible to pay for itself let alone be profitable. Maybe when they get that through their thick heads the 2 a.m. "Safety checks" will stop. not keeping my fingers crossed

[Blue Skye]

lmao

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Coops

Never, ever, send me money and never tell me what a great person I am.

Coops.

Sending you virtual money so you can imagine it and telling you that although the vote on how great you are was 30 to 2 against, we were the two who think you're great.

[Coops]

Originally Posted by BandB

Sending you virtual money so you can imagine it and telling you that although the vote on how great you are was 30 to 2 against, we were the two who think you're great.

My fan club secretary will be in touch.

Coops.

[h20]

HOW long can we anchor now? three months? need to know, trying to go on the hook.
If bill passes, then how long? I will not give up my sovereignty

[denverd0n]

How long you can anchor varies depending on just where you are anchored. Do a search. It has been discussed to death.

As far as giving up your sovereignty, you get to vote. There's your sovereignty. Once the law is passed, you can say "I will not give up my sovereignty" all you want, while the men with guns and badges will completely ignore you and drag you off in handcuffs if you violate the law. That's how "sovereignty" works in a democratic republic.

[h20]

thanks. I guess it really is: "Them" and "us"
READING NOW defeat HB 955 and SB 1126

[letsgetsailing3]

SB 1126: Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

GENERAL BILL by Dean
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; Providing that a boating safety course may be offered in a classroom or online; eliminating an exemption from boating safety education requirements for boating law violators; repealing provisions relating to a charge to be applied to areas covered by cooperative agreements with the United States Forest Service over and above the license fee for hunting; authorizing the commission to require a license, permit, or authorization number for a person to take certain wildlife on public lands; requiring certain people to provide a valid hunter safety certification card number in order to purchase a Florida hunting license, etc.
Effective Date: 7/1/2014
Last Action: 2/19/2014 Senate - Filed
Location: Filed



Maybe we should make sure we're voting on the right thing. Is this really what the hubub is about? Please read it before you go on a letter writing campaign.

[letsgetsailing3]

HB 955: Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

GENERAL BILL by Goodson
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; Revises provisions relating to hunting & fishing licenses, permits, & authorizations, boating safety courses, & use of moneys collected from vessel registration fees; repeals provisions relating to certain spiny lobster licenses.
Effective Date: 7/1/2014
Last Action: 2/17/2014 House - Filed
Location: Filed
Bill Text: PDF

[h20]

What does HB 955 say?

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by h20

What does HB 955 say?

Click the link for the PDF

[letsgetsailing3]

Here is the law I believe we're actually talking about:

Chapter 327 - 2013 Florida Statutes - The Florida Senate

[letsgetsailing3]

And in particular, this statute:

327.4105 Pilot program for regulation of mooring vessels outside of public mooring fields.


—The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection, is directed to establish a pilot program to explore potential options for regulating the anchoring or mooring of non-live-aboard vessels outside the marked boundaries of public mooring fields.(1) The goals of the pilot program are to encourage the establishment of additional public mooring fields and to develop and test policies and regulatory regimes that:
(a) Promote the establishment and use of public mooring fields.
(b) Promote public access to the waters of this state.
(c) Enhance navigational safety.
(d) Protect maritime infrastructure.
(e) Protect the marine environment.
(f) Deter improperly stored, abandoned, or derelict vessels.

(2) Each location selected for inclusion in the pilot program must be associated with a properly permitted mooring field. The commission, in consultation with the department, shall select all locations for the pilot program prior to July 1, 2011. Two locations shall be off the east coast of the state, two locations shall be off the west coast of the state, and one location shall be within Monroe County. The locations selected must be geographically diverse and take into consideration the various users and means of using the waters of this state.
(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of s. 327.60, a county or municipality selected for participation in the pilot program may regulate by ordinance the anchoring of vessels, other than live-aboard vessels as defined in s. 327.02, outside of a mooring field. Any ordinance enacted under the pilot program shall take effect and become enforceable only after approval by the commission. The commission shall not approve any ordinance not consistent with the goals of the pilot program.
(4) The commission shall:
a) Provide consultation and technical assistance to each municipality or county selected for participation in the pilot program to facilitate accomplishment of the pilot program’s goals.
(b) Coordinate the review of any proposed ordinance with the department; the United States Coast Guard; the Florida Inland Navigation District or the West Coast Inland Navigation District, as appropriate; and associations or other organizations representing vessel owners or operators.
(c) Monitor and evaluate at least annually each location selected for participation in the pilot program and make such modifications as may be necessary to accomplish the pilot program’s goals.

(5) The commission shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by January 1, 2014.
(6) The pilot program shall expire on July 1, 2014, unless reenacted by the Legislature. All ordinances enacted under this section shall expire concurrently with the expiration of the pilot program and shall be inoperative and unenforceable thereafter.
(7) Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect any mooring field authorized pursuant to s. 253.77, s. 327.40, or part IV of chapter 373, as applicable, or any lawful ordinance regulating the anchoring of any vessels within the marked boundaries of such mooring fields.
History.—s. 48, ch. 2009-86.

[letsgetsailing3]

I couldn't find any proposal to extend this yet, but I think you can bet there will be some proposal about this.

[h20]

i thought this part was a little over board:
327.395 Boating safety identification cards.—
(1) A person born on or after January 1, 1988, may not operate a vessel powered by a motor of 10 horsepower or greater unless such person has in his or her possession aboard the vessel photographic identification and a boater safety identification card issued by the commission which shows that he or she has: (a) Completed a commission-approved boater education course that meets the minimum 8-hour instruction requirement established by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators;
(b) Passed a course equivalency examination approved by the commission; or
(c) Passed a temporary certificate examination developed or approved by the commission.

(2) Any person may obtain a boater safety identification card by complying with the requirements of this section.

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

Here is the law I believe we're actually talking about:

Chapter 327 - 2013 Florida Statutes - The Florida Senate