Florida Senate - 2017 SB 718
By Senator Powell
30-01067-17 2017718__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to vessel registrations; amending s.
3 328.72, F.S.; revising a reduction of vessel
4 registration fees for recreational vessels equipped
5 with certain position indicating and locating beacons;
6 deleting a registration date limitation; deleting an
7 expiration date; providing an appropriation; providing
8 an effective date.
9
10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
11
12 Section 1. Subsection (18) of section 328.72, Florida
13 Statutes, is amended to read:
14 328.72 Classification; registration; fees and charges;
15 surcharge; disposition of fees; fines; marine turtle stickers.—
16 (18) REDUCED VESSEL REGISTRATION FEE.—
17 (a) As used in this subsection, the term:
18 1. “Emergency position-indicating radio beacon” means a
19 device installed on the vessel being registered that:
20 a. Transmits distress signals at a frequency between 406.0
21 and 406.1 MHz;
22 b. Is manufactured by a company approved to manufacture
23 beacons by the International Cospas-Sarsat Programme; and
24 c. Is registered with the United States National Oceanic
25 and Atmospheric Administration.
26 2. “Full registration fee amount” means the registration
27 fee as provided in subsection (1) and not the reduced vessel
28 registration fee specified in this subsection.
29 3. “Personal locator beacon” means a device designed to be
30 carried by an individual that:
31 a. Transmits distress signals at a frequency between 406.0
32 and 406.1 MHz;
33 b. Is manufactured by a company approved to manufacture
34 beacons by the International Cospas-Sarsat Programme; and
35 c. Is registered with the United States National Oceanic
36 and Atmospheric Administration.
37 (b) The registration certificate fee imposed under
38 subsection (1) for a recreational vessel equipped with an
39 emergency position-indicating radio beacon, or for a
40 recreational vessel the owner of which owns a personal locator
41 beacon, shall be reduced to the following amounts for each 12
42 month period registered:
43 1. Class A-1—$2.95 $4.24.
44 2. Class A-2—$11.00 $13.77.
45 3. Class 1—$20.40 $24.83.
46 4. Class 2—$57.50 $68.56.
47 5. Class 3—$94.95 $112.31.
48 6. Class 4—$113.40 $134.41.
49 7. Class 5—$141.15 $167.11.
50 (c) A person who owns a personal locator beacon and who
51 owns more than one recreational vessel qualifies to pay the
52 reduced fee under paragraph (b) for only one such vessel.
53 (d) In order to qualify for reduced registration fees under
54 this subsection, a vessel owner must, at the time of
55 registration, demonstrate that the vessel is equipped with an
56 emergency position-indicating radio beacon or that the vessel
57 owner owns a personal locator beacon. The Department of Highway
58 Safety and Motor Vehicles may adopt rules specifying what
59 constitutes sufficient proof to qualify for reduced registration
60 fees under this subsection, but such proof must contain, at a
61 minimum, the following:
62 1. The name of the beacon owner.
63 2. The expiration date of the beacon’s registration.
64 3. The unique identification number of the beacon.
65 4. For vessels equipped with an emergency position
66 indicating radio beacon, identification of the vessel equipped
67 with the beacon.
68 (e) For each vessel registration qualifying for reduced
69 registration fees under this subsection, an amount equal to the
70 difference between the full registration fee amount and the
71 actual amount of registration fee paid for such vessel
72 registration shall be transferred from the General Revenue Fund
73 to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and shall
74 be distributed pursuant to s. 328.76.
75 (f) The reduced registration certificate fee amounts
76 provided in this subsection apply only to applicable vessels
77 registered during the period beginning July 1, 2016, and ending
78 June 30, 2017.
79 (g) This subsection expires July 1, 2017.
80 Section 2. For the 2017-2018 fiscal year, the sum of
81 $500,000 in recurring funds is appropriated from the General
82 Revenue Fund to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
83 for deposit in the Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund.
84 These funds shall be used for the sole purpose of offsetting the
85 reduction in the base vessel registration fees as provided by
86 this act.
87 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017.