HB 1225 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1225-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to vessel safety flags; amending s. 2
327.391, F.S.; removing the requirement that airboats 3
be equipped with masts or flagpoles bearing certain 4
safety flags; amending s. 327.50, F.S.; prohibiting 5
the operation and anchoring of vessels without masts 6
or flagpoles bearing certain safety flags under 7
specified conditions; providing applicability; 8
providing penalties; providing an effective date. 9
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 11
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Section 1. Effective July 1, 2023, subsections (4) and (5) 13
of section 327.391, Florida Statutes, are renumbered as 14
subsections (3) and (4), respectively, and subsection (1) and 15
present subsection (3) of that section are amended, to read: 16
327.391 Airboats regulated. — 17
(1) The exhaust of every internal combustion engine used 18
on any airboat operated on the waters of this state shall be 19
provided with an automotive -style factory muffler, underwater 20
exhaust, or other manufactured device capable of adequately 21
muffling the sound of the exhaust of the engine as described in 22
s. 327.02(31). The use of cutouts or flex pipe as the sole 23
source of muffling is prohibited, except as provided in 24
subsection (3) (4). A person who violates this subsection 25
HB 1225 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1225-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
commits a noncriminal infraction, punishable as provided in s. 26
327.73(1). 27
(3) An airboat may not operate on the waters of the state 28
unless it is equipped with a mast or flagpole bearing a flag at 29
a height of at least 10 feet above the lowest portion of the 30
vessel. The flag must be square or rectangular, at least 10 31
inches by 12 inches in size, international orange in color, and 32
displayed so that the visibility of the flag is not obscured in 33
any direction. Any pers on who violates this subsection commits a 34
noncriminal infraction punishable as provided in s. 327.73(1). 35
Section 2. Effective July 1, 2023, subsection (4) is added 36
to section 327.50, Florida Statutes, to read: 37
327.50 Vessel safety regulations; equipm ent and lighting 38
requirements.— 39
(4) A vessel may not operate or be anchored on the waters 40
of this state where visibility is limited by vegetation that 41
extends 18 inches or higher above the current water line and is 42
present within 10 feet on both sides of the vessel unless the 43
vessel is equipped with a mast or flagpole bearing a flag at a 44
height of at least 10 feet above the lowest portion of the 45
vessel. The flag must meet design, minimum size, and color 46
requirements as established by commission rule and b e displayed 47
so that the visibility of the flag is not obscured in any 48
direction. This subsection does not apply to a vessel that has a 49
height greater than 10 feet above the water line. A person who 50
HB 1225 2022
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1225-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
violates this subsection commits a noncriminal infraction 51
punishable as provided in s. 327.73(1). 52
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022. 53