| 1 | 1 | | BILL AS INTRODUCED H.187 |
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| 2 | 2 | | 2025 Page 1 of 2 |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | VT LEG #380553 v.1 |
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| 6 | 6 | | H.187 1 |
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| 7 | 7 | | Introduced by Representative Garofano of Essex 2 |
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| 8 | 8 | | Referred to Committee on 3 |
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| 9 | 9 | | Date: 4 |
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| 10 | 10 | | Subject: Motor vehicles; vessels; equipment; personal flotation devices; cold 5 |
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| 11 | 11 | | weather 6 |
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| 12 | 12 | | Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require all 7 |
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| 13 | 13 | | individuals on board a vessel between November 1 and May 1 to wear a 8 |
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| 14 | 14 | | personal flotation device. 9 |
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| 15 | 15 | | An act relating to requiring the use of personal flotation devices during cold 10 |
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| 16 | 16 | | weather 11 |
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| 17 | 17 | | It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 12 |
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| 18 | 18 | | Sec. 1. 23 V.S.A. § 3306 is amended to read: 13 |
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| 19 | 19 | | § 3306. LIGHTS AND EQUIPMENT 14 |
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| 20 | 20 | | * * * 15 |
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| 21 | 21 | | (b)(1) Personal flotation devices. Each vessel, except sailboards, shall, 16 |
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| 22 | 22 | | consistent with federal regulations, carry for each individual aboard at least 17 |
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| 23 | 23 | | one wearable U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device that is in 18 |
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| 24 | 24 | | good and serviceable condition and capable of being used in accordance with 19 |
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| 25 | 25 | | the U.S. Coast Guard approval label. 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.187 |
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| 26 | 26 | | 2025 Page 2 of 2 |
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| 28 | 28 | | |
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| 29 | 29 | | VT LEG #380553 v.1 |
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| 30 | 30 | | * * * 1 |
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| 31 | 31 | | (4) Cold weather. On or before May 1 of each year and on or after 2 |
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| 32 | 32 | | November 1 of each year, all individuals aboard a vessel, while under way and 3 |
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| 33 | 33 | | the individual is on an open deck, shall wear a properly secured wearable U.S. 4 |
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| 34 | 34 | | Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device as intended by the 5 |
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| 35 | 35 | | manufacturer. 6 |
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| 36 | 36 | | (5) Inspected commercial vessels. U.S. Coast Guard-inspected 7 |
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| 37 | 37 | | commercial vessels shall be exempt from the provisions of this subsection. 8 |
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| 38 | 38 | | * * * 9 |
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| 39 | 39 | | Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 10 |
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| 40 | 40 | | This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 11 |
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