Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5341 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2025 -- H 5341
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7	7	LC001083
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9	9	S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- REGULATION OF BOATS --
16	16	FRESHWATER LAKE MANA GEMENT PROGRAM
17	17	Introduced By: Representatives Chippendale, Paplauskas, Tanzi, Spears, Caldwell,
18	18	Marszalkowski, Casey, Azzinaro, Handy, and Cortvriend
19	19	Date Introduced: February 07, 2025
20	20	Referred To: House Environment and Natural Resources
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23	23	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
24	24	SECTION 1. Section 46-22-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 46-22 entitled "Regulation 1
25	25	of Boats" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
26	26	46-22-4. Identification number and registration fee. 3
27	27	(a)(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b), the owner of each motorboat shall 4
28	28	file biennially an application for registration with the department of environmental management on 5
29	29	forms approved by the director. The application shall be accompanied by a registration fee 6
30	30	according to the following schedule: 7
31	31	OVERALL LENGTH 8
32	32	AT LEAST FEET NOT MORE THAN FEET BIENNIAL FEE 9
33	33	UNDER 15 $30 10
34	34	16 20 $40 11
35	35	21 25 $60 12
36	36	26 30 $100 13
37	37	31 35 $200 14
38	38	36 40 $250 15
39	39	41 45 $300 16
40	40	46 50 $400 17
41	41	51 and over $600 18
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44	44	LC001083 - Page 2 of 5
45	45	(i) For the purpose of the above fee schedule, “overall length” shall be defined as the 1
46	46	horizontal distance between the foremost part of the stem, and, the aftermost part of the stern, 2
47	47	excluding bowsprits, bumpkins, rudders, outboard motor brackets, and similar fittings or 3
48	48	attachments. For purposes of this section, a fraction of a foot shall be deemed to be the next higher 4
49	49	foot. 5
50	50	(ii) The fee payable under this section for any motorboat owned by a nonprofit organization 6
51	51	shall not exceed fifty dollars ($50.00). 7
52	52	(iii) All vessels over thirty feet (30′) may, upon request, pay the registration fee annually 8
53	53	at the rate of one-half (½) the biennial fee for a vessel of the same length. 9
54	54	(iv) In addition to the registration fee payable under this section, the owner of each 10
55	55	motorboat shall pay five dollars ($5.00) biennially. Pursuant to this section, where the owner of a 11
56	56	motorboat pays an annual registration fee, the additional fee shall be two dollars and fifty cents 12
57	57	($2.50) annually. The additional fees shall be deposited in a restricted account for freshwater 13
58	58	preservation as set forth in § 46-33-3. 14
59	59	(2) Upon receipt of the completed application and correct registration fee, the department 15
60	60	of environmental management shall enter the application and registration fee into its records, and 16
61	61	issue to the owner a certificate of number stating the number awarded to the motorboat and the 17
62	62	name and address of the owner. The owner shall paint on or attach to each side of the bow of the 18
63	63	motorboat the identification number in such manner as may be prescribed by rules and regulations 19
64	64	of the department of environmental management in order that it may be clearly visible. The number 20
65	65	shall be maintained in legible condition. The certificate of number shall be pocket size and shall be 21
66	66	available at all times for inspection on the motorboat for which issued, whenever that motorboat is 22
67	67	in operation. 23
68	68	(b) The owner of any motorboat already covered by an identification number, in full force 24
69	69	and effect, which has been awarded to it pursuant to then operative federal law or a federally 25
70	70	approved numbering system of another state, shall record the number with the department of 26
71	71	environmental management prior to operating the motorboat on the waters of this state in excess of 27
72	72	the ninety (90) day reciprocity period provided for in § 46-22-6(a). The recordation shall be in the 28
73	73	manner and subject to the procedure and fees required for the award and transfer of a number under 29
74	74	subsections (a) and (c) through (i), except that no additional or substitute number shall be issued. 30
75	75	(c) Should the ownership of a motorboat change, a new application form shall be filed with 31
76	76	the department of environmental management. Should the change in ownership take place before 32
77	77	the date upon which the certificate of number expires, the new owner shall pay an administrative 33
78	78	fee of ten dollars ($10.00). The number assigned to the vessel shall remain with the vessel and be 34
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82	82	non-transferable while the vessel remains certified in the state of Rhode Island; provided, however, 1
83	83	that upon the request of the owner of a duly registered vessel of historic value that is more than 2
84	84	fifty (50) years old, the number assigned to the vessel may be transferred to a different historic 3
85	85	vessel owned by the same person. The original vessel will be given a new registration number and 4
86	86	the owner shall pay a transfer fee of six dollars ($6.00) for each vessel. 5
87	87	(d) In the event that an agency of the United States government shall have in force an 6
88	88	overall system of identification numbering for motorboats within the United States, the numbering 7
89	89	system employed pursuant to this chapter by the department of environmental management shall 8
90	90	be in conformity therewith. 9
91	91	(e) All records of the department of environmental management made or kept pursuant to 10
92	92	this section shall be public records. 11
93	93	(f) The department of environmental management shall fix a day and month of the year on 12
94	94	which the certificate of number is due to expire and no longer be of any force and effect, unless 13
95	95	renewed pursuant to this chapter. 14
96	96	(g) The owner shall furnish the department of environmental management notice of the 15
97	97	transfer of all or any part of the owner’s interest, other than the creation of a security interest in a 16
98	98	motorboat numbered in this state, pursuant to subsections (a) and (b), or of the destruction or 17
99	99	abandonment of the motorboat, within fifteen (15) days thereof. That destruction shall terminate 18
100	100	the certificate of number for the motorboat. 19
101	101	(h) Any holder of a certificate of number shall notify the department of environmental 20
102	102	management within fifteen (15) days if the holder’s address no longer conforms to the address 21
103	103	appearing on the certificate and shall, as a part of the notification, furnish the department of 22
104	104	environmental management the new address. The department of environmental management may 23
105	105	provide, in its rules and regulations, for the surrender of the certificate bearing the former address 24
106	106	or for the alteration of an outstanding certificate to show the new address of the holder. 25
107	107	(i) No number, other than the number awarded to a motorboat or granted reciprocity 26
108	108	pursuant to this chapter, shall be painted, attached, or otherwise displayed on either side of the bow 27
109	109	of the motorboat. 28
110	110	(j) Biennial registration shall be phased in, alphabetically, over a two (2) year period 29
111	111	starting January 1, 1999 at which time all owners whose last names begin with the letters “A” 30
112	112	through “M” applications for registration will be accepted for consideration on a biennial basis. 31
113	113	Owners whose last names begin with the letters “N” through “Z” shall be subject to biennial 32
114	114	registration starting January 1, 2000. 33
115	115	SECTION 2. Chapter 46-33 of the General Laws entitled "Freshwater Lake Management 34
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119	119	Program" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 1
120	120	46-33-3. Establishment of restricted receipt account -- Collection and deposit of fees. 2
121	121	All fees collected by the director in accordance with § 46-22-4(a)(iv) shall be placed in a 3
122	122	restricted receipt account to be known as the "Rhode Island lake management program fund" for 4
123	123	the specific purposes of providing funding necessary to implement the provisions of this chapter 5
124	124	pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the department for the spending of the deposits 6
125	125	collected by the fund. 7
126	126	SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. 8
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128	128	LC001083
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132	132	LC001083 - Page 5 of 5
133	133	EXPLANATION
134	134	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
135	135	OF
136	136	A N A C T
137	137	RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- REGULATION OF BOATS --
138	138	FRESHWATER LAKE MANA GEMENT PROGRAM
139	139	***
140	140	This act would authorize the collection of a small additional fee, in addition to the 1
141	141	registration fee paid by motorboat owners, to be deposited in a restricted account, in order to fund 2
142	142	the newly established freshwater lake management program. 3
143	143	This act would take effect upon passage. 4
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145	145	LC001083
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