Wisconsin 2025-2026 Regular Session

Wisconsin Senate Bill SB250 Compare Versions

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

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1	1	2025 - 2026 LEGISLATURE
2	2	LRB-2994/1
3	3	ZDW:skw
4	4	2025 SENATE BILL 250
5	5	May 9, 2025 - Introduced by Senators STAFSHOLT, L. JOHNSON, NASS and
6	6	WANGGAARD, cosponsored by Representatives ZIMMERMAN, KREIBICH,
7	7	DITTRICH, DUCHOW, GREEN, GUNDRUM, O'CONNOR and SUBECK. Referred to
8	8	Committee on Financial Institutions and Sporting Heritage.
9	9
10	10	*AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE*
11	11	AN ACT to create 30.542 and 30.80 (7) of the statutes; relating to: prohibiting
12	12	abandonment of a boat and providing a penalty.
13	13	Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
14	14	This bill prohibits a person from abandoning a boat on the waters of this state
15	15	or upon adjacent riparian land. XAbandonY is defined to mean 1) leaving a boat
16	16	unattended, without demonstrated intent to return to or moor or maintain the boat,
17	17	for a period of more than seven consecutive days, or 2) leaving a boat that is
18	18	partially submerged, in a state of disrepair, or otherwise neglected such that the
19	19	boat presents a hazard to navigation, public safety, or environmental health and the
20	20	owner has failed to take reasonable actions to remove or maintain the boat.
21	21	Under the bill, if a law enforcement officer determines that a boat has been
22	22	abandoned, the officer must notify the owner, who must remove the boat within 30
23	23	days. If the boat remains abandoned after that period, the owner is subject to
24	24	imprisonment for up to nine months and a fine of up to $10,000, or both. In
25	25	addition, the Department of Natural Resources shall require the person to obtain a
26	26	certificate of satisfactory completion of a safety course before operating a boat.
27	27	The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
28	28	enact as follows:
29	29	SECTION 1. 30.542 of the statutes is created to read:
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32	32	3 2025 - 2026 Legislature
33	33	SENATE BILL 250
34	34	- 2 - LRB-2994/1
35	35	ZDW:skw
36	36	SECTION 1
37	37	30.542 Abandonment of boat prohibited. (1) In this section, XabandonY
38	38	means any of the following:
39	39	(a) Leaving a boat unattended, without demonstrated intent to return to or
40	40	moor or maintain the boat, for a period of more than 7 consecutive days.
41	41	(b) Leaving a boat that is partially submerged, in a state of disrepair, or
42	42	otherwise neglected such that the boat presents a hazard to navigation, public
43	43	safety, or environmental health and the owner has failed to take reasonable actions
44	44	to remove or maintain the boat after notice from the department or a local law
45	45	enforcement agency.
46	46	(2) No person may abandon a boat on the waters of this state or upon any
47	47	adjacent riparian land without the express consent of the landowner or the owner of
48	48	riparian rights.
49	49	(3) (a) If a law enforcement officer determines that a boat has been
50	50	abandoned, the officer shall issue a written notice to the last known owner of record
51	51	for the boat, if ascertainable, requiring the owner to remove the boat within 30 days
52	52	of receipt of the notice.
53	53	(b) If an owner fails to remove a boat subject to a notice under par. (a) within
54	54	the specified time, or if the owner cannot be identified, the department or a local
55	55	law enforcement agency may remove, impound, or dispose of the boat.
56	56	(c) Notwithstanding par. (b), if an abandoned boat presents a hazard to
57	57	navigation, public safety, or environmental health, the department or a local law
58	58	enforcement agency may remove, impound, or dispose of the boat immediately and
59	59	without providing notice.
60	60	(d) In addition to any penalties under s. 30.80 (7), any person violating sub. (2)
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84	84	24 2025 - 2026 Legislature
85	85	SENATE BILL 250
86	86	- 3 - LRB-2994/1
87	87	ZDW:skw
88	88	SECTION 1
89	89	shall be liable for all costs incurred by the department or a local law enforcement
90	90	agency for the removal, storage, or disposal of the abandoned boat.
91	91	SECTION 2. 30.80 (7) of the statutes is created to read:
92	92	30.80 (7) (a) Any person violating s. 30.542 (2) and (3) (a) shall be subject to a
93	93	fine not to exceed $10,000 or imprisonment not to exceed 9 months, or both.
94	94	(b) In addition to any penalties under par. (a), for any person violating s.
95	95	30.542 (2) and (3) (a), the department shall require the person to obtain a certificate
96	96	of satisfactory completion of a safety course under s. 30.74 (1). If the person has a
97	97	valid certificate at the time that the court imposes sentence under par. (a), the
98	98	department shall permanently revoke the certificate and order the person to obtain
99	99	a certificate of satisfactory completion of a safety course under s. 30.74 (1).
100	100	(END)
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