Senate Study Bill 1031
SENATE/HOUSE FILE
BY (PROPOSED DEPARTMENT OF
NATURAL RESOURCES BILL)
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to the regulation of vessels by increasing
2 certain boat registration fees, and pilot and engineer
3 licensing fees, providing for increased inspections of
4 registered boats, and appropriating the moneys collected to
5 the state fish and game protection fund.
6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 462A.5, subsection 3, Code 2003, is
1 2 amended to read as follows:
1 3 3. The registration fees for vessels subject to this
1 4 chapter are as follows:
1 5 a. For vessels of any length without motor or sail, five
1 6 eight dollars.
1 7 b. For motorboats or sailboats less than twelve sixteen
1 8 feet in length, eight fifteen dollars.
1 9 c. For motorboats or sailboats twelve sixteen feet or
1 10 more, but less than fifteen twenty=six feet in length, ten
1 11 twenty=five dollars.
1 12 d. For motorboats or sailboats fifteen feet or more, but
1 13 less than eighteen feet in length, twelve dollars.
1 14 e. For motorboats or sailboats eighteen feet or more, but
1 15 less than twenty=five feet in length, eighteen dollars.
1 16 f. d. For motorboats or sailboats twenty=five twenty=six
1 17 feet in length or more, twenty=eight thirty=five dollars.
1 18 Every registration certificate and number issued becomes
1 19 delinquent at midnight April 30 of odd=numbered years unless
1 20 terminated or discontinued in accordance with this chapter.
1 21 After January 1 in odd=numbered years, an unregistered vessel
1 22 and a renewal of registration may be registered for the two=
1 23 year registration period beginning May 1 of that year. After
1 24 January 1 in even=numbered years, unregistered vessels may be
1 25 registered for the remainder of the current registration
1 26 period at fifty percent of the appropriate registration fee.
1 27 If a timely application for renewal is made, the applicant
1 28 shall receive the same registration number allocated to the
1 29 applicant for the previous registration period. If the
1 30 application for registration for the biennium is not made
1 31 before May 1 of each odd=numbered year, the applicant shall be
1 32 charged a penalty of five dollars.
1 33 Sec. 2. Section 462A.20, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code
1 34 2003, is amended to read as follows:
1 35 Any person having A vessel, either for hire or offered for
2 1 hire, upon any waters of this state under the jurisdiction of
2 2 the commission, any vessel, either for hire or offered for
2 3 hire, must have such vessel and all its appurtenances annually
2 4 may be inspected at any time by representatives of the
2 5 commission or by any peace officer.
2 6 Sec. 3. Section 462A.22, Code 2003, is amended to read as
2 7 follows:
2 8 462A.22 ENGINEER OR PILOT LICENSE AND FEES.
2 9 No A vessel shall not be operated for hire by a pilot or
2 10 engineer upon the waters of this state under the jurisdiction
2 11 of the commission unless the pilot or engineer first obtains
2 12 an engineer's or pilot's license. A pilot's license is
2 13 required for any person who has charge of the steering or
2 14 directing of the vessel's course or who does the steering or
2 15 directs the vessel's course. An engineer's license is
2 16 required for all operators who have charge of or operate the
2 17 equipment by which the boat is propelled. If one person acts
2 18 in a dual or alternate capacity, the person shall first obtain
2 19 both an engineer's and pilot's license.
2 20 Any person desiring a pilot's or engineer's license shall
2 21 file an application with the commission upon forms prepared
2 22 and furnished by the commission. Such license may be issued
2 23 by the commission only upon recommendation of an officer duly
2 24 authorized by the commission. Before the officer recommends
2 25 such a license, the officer shall investigate the competency
2 26 of the applicant, the applicant's acquaintance with and
2 27 experience in boat work, habits as to sobriety, mental and
2 28 physical qualifications for the work, acquaintance with the
2 29 waters for which application to operate upon is made,
2 30 familiarity with the laws and regulations pertaining to the
2 31 vessel operation and all other pertinent matters. Such
2 32 license shall not be issued to anyone under eighteen years of
2 33 age.
2 34 The annual fee for a pilot's license is ten dollars. The
2 35 annual fee for an engineer's license is twenty dollars. All
3 1 fees for the licensing of pilots and engineers shall be
3 2 forwarded by the commission to the treasurer of state, who
3 3 shall place the money in the state fish and game protection
3 4 fund. The money so collected is appropriated to the
3 5 commission solely for the administration and enforcement of
3 6 navigation laws and water safety.
3 7 Engineer's and pilot's licenses shall be in effect only for
3 8 the calendar year in which such license is issued.
3 9 Sec. 4. Section 462A.52, Code 2003, is amended to read as
3 10 follows:
3 11 462A.52 FEES REMITTED TO COMMISSION.
3 12 Within ten days after the end of each month, a county
3 13 recorder shall remit to the commission all fees collected by
3 14 the recorder during the previous month. Before May 10 in odd=
3 15 numbered years, a county recorder shall remit to the
3 16 commission all unused license blanks for the previous
3 17 biennium. All fees collected for the registration of vessels
3 18 shall be forwarded by the commission to the treasurer of the
3 19 state, who shall place the money in a special conservation the
3 20 state fish and game protection fund. The money so collected
3 21 is appropriated to the commission solely for the
3 22 administration and enforcement of navigation laws and water
3 23 safety.
3 24 Sec. 5. Section 462A.66, Code 2003, is amended to read as
3 25 follows:
3 26 462A.66 INSPECTION AUTHORITY.
3 27 An officer of the commission or any peace officer may stop
3 28 and inspect a vessel being launched, being operated, or being
3 29 moored on the waters of this state under the jurisdiction of
3 30 the commission to determine whether the vessel is properly
3 31 registered, numbered, and equipped as provided under this
3 32 chapter and rules of the commission. An officer may board a
3 33 vessel in the course of an inspection if the operator is
3 34 unable to supply visual evidence that the vessel is properly
3 35 registered and equipped as required by this chapter and rules
4 1 of the commission. The inspection shall not include an
4 2 inspection of an area that is not essential to determine
4 3 compliance with the provisions of this chapter and rules of
4 4 the commission.
4 5 Sec. 6. Section 462A.21, Code 2003, is repealed.
4 6 EXPLANATION
4 7 This bill relates to vessel regulation, increases the
4 8 registration fees for certain vessels subject to Iowa's water
4 9 navigation regulations, and abolishes the separate inspection
4 10 fees. The bill also provides that a vessel, either for hire
4 11 or offered for hire, is subject to inspection at any time by
4 12 representatives of the natural resource commission or by any
4 13 peace officer rather than just annually.
4 14 The bill increases the annual fees for a pilot's or
4 15 engineer's license to operate a vessel for hire.
4 16 The bill provides that all fees collected by the natural
4 17 resource commission, including the vessel registration fees
4 18 and the pilot's and engineer's license fees, shall be
4 19 forwarded by the commission to the treasurer of state, shall
4 20 be placed in the state fish and game protection fund, and are
4 21 appropriated by the general assembly to the commission solely
4 22 for the administration and enforcement of navigation laws and
4 23 water safety.
4 24 The bill repeals Code section 462A.21, which relates to
4 25 inspections and annual fees for inspections of vessels
4 26 operated for hire.
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