SS SCS HCS HB 217 -- BOATING

This bill allows a one-time temporary certificate of number for
boats and temporary registration number for outboard motors to
be issued by the Department of Revenue.  Temporary certificates
of registration numbers will be available to dealers.  Dealers
cannot charge more than $5 for a temporary certificate of number
for vessels and $2 for temporary registration number for
outboard motors.  Dealers will be required to keep records on
all sales of temporary numbers.  These temporary numbers will be
issued for the use and operation of an outboard motor or vessel
to permit legal operation for only 30 days or until proper title
and registration have been obtained, whichever occurs first.

The State Water Patrol, sheriff, or other law enforcement
officer may authorize a towing operator to remove any vessel or
outboard motor left unattended more than 48 hours and which may
obstruct the normal movement of traffic on the waters of this
state or is reported stolen, or any vessel or outboard motor
whose operator is arrested and taken into custody.  The bill
establishes procedures for obtaining ownership of any vessel or
outboard motor which has been towed and is unclaimed and for
liens for labor and storage.

Persons cannot operate or otherwise position a vessel, or
position themselves or any other object in a manner which
obstructs or impedes the normal flow of traffic on the waters of
this state.

No person will be allowed to operate a motorboat, vessel, or
watercraft at any time from a half hour after sunset to a half
hour before sunrise at speeds exceeding 30 miles per hour on the
Missouri and Mississippi River or on lakes of the state with a
shoreline in excess of 160 miles.

The revenue from the in-lieu watercraft tax charged on boats and
vessels documented by the United States Coast Guard will be
credited to general revenue and be appropriated for use by the
Missouri State Water Patrol.

This bill also contains language dealing with age requirements
for children operating watercraft and personal watercraft,
leaving the scene of a vessel accident, opening watercraft
livery business records to law enforcement officers, abandonment
of boat docks, replacement of original manufacturer's
distinguishing number on outboard motors or vessels, displaying
a registration decal on the outside of an outboard motor, noise
limits on watercraft, manufacturer's liability to dealer in
relation to noise limitations, numbering on documented vessels,
adequate guard railing, flagging of a boat when swimmers are in
the water,  the operation of boats in relation to swimmers,
requirements for flotation devices, and medical examiner's
reporting of deaths involving motorized watercraft.

The bill has an emergency clause on sections pertaining to
certain safety provisions, including speed limit.

HCS HB 217 -- BOATING (Franklin)

This substitute allows a one-time temporary certificate of
number for boats and temporary registration number for outboard
motors to be issued by the Department of Revenue.  Temporary
certificates of registration numbers will be available to
dealers.  Dealers cannot charge more than $5 for a temporary
certificate of number for vessels and $2 for temporary
registration number for outboard motors.  Dealers will be
required to keep records on all sales of temporary numbers.
These temporary numbers will be issued for the use and operation
of an outboard motor or vessel to permit legal operation for
only 30 days or until proper title and registration has been
obtained, whichever occurs first.

The State Water Patrol, sheriff, or other law enforcement
officer may authorize a towing operator to remove any vessel or
outboard motor left unattended more than 48 hours and which may
obstruct the normal movement of traffic along the shoreline or
is reported stolen, or any vessel or outboard motor whose
operator is arrested and taken into custody.  The substitute
establishes procedures for obtaining ownership of any vessel or
outboard motor which has been towed and is unclaimed and for
liens for labor and storage.

Persons cannot operate or otherwise position a vessel, or
position themselves or any other object in a manner which
obstructs or impedes the normal flow of traffic on the waters of
this state.

No person will be allowed to operate a motorboat, vessel or
watercraft at any time from half hour after sun set to half hour
before sun rise at speeds exceeding 30 miles per hour.

This substitute also contains language dealing with age
requirements for children operating watercraft and personal
watercraft, leaving the scene of a vessel accident, opening
watercraft livery business records to law enforcement officers,
noise limits on watercraft, liability of manufacturers to
dealers in relation to noise limitations, earmarking certain tax
revenues for the Water Patrol, numbering on documented vessels,
adequate guard railing, requirements for flotation devices, and
medical examiner's reporting of deaths involving motorized
watercraft.

HCS HB 217 -- BOATING

SPONSOR:  Thomason (Franklin)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Motor
Vehicle and Traffic Regulations by a vote of 6 to 3.

This substitute allows a one-time temporary certificate of
number for boats and temporary registration number for outboard
motors to be issued by the Department of Revenue.  Temporary
certificates of registration numbers will be available to
dealers.  Dealers cannot charge more than $5 for a temporary
certificate of number for vessels and $2 for temporary
registration number for outboard motors.  Dealers will be
required to keep records on all sales of temporary numbers.
These temporary numbers will be issued for the use and operation
of an outboard motor or vessel to permit legal operation for
only 20 days or until proper title and registration has been
obtained, whichever occurs first.

The State Water Patrol, sheriff, or other law enforcement
officer may authorize a towing operator to remove any vessel or
outboard motor left unattended more than 48 hours and which may
obstruct the normal movement of traffic along the shoreline or
is reported stolen, or any vessel or outboard motor whose
operator is arrested and taken into custody.  The substitute
establishes procedures for obtaining ownership of any vessel or
outboard motor which has been towed and is unclaimed and for
liens for labor and storage.

Persons cannot operate or otherwise position a vessel, or
position themselves or any other object in a manner which
obstructs or impedes the normal flow of traffic on the waters of
this state.

No person will be allowed to operate a motorboat, vessel, or
watercraft at any time from half hour after sun set to half hour
before sun rise at speeds exceeding 30 miles per hour.

This substitute also contains language dealing with age
requirements for children operating watercraft, leaving the
scene of a vessel accident, opening watercraft livery business
records to law enforcement officers, noise limits on watercraft,
adequate guard railing, requirements for floatation devises, and
medical examiner's reporting of deaths involving motorized
watercraft.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not available at time of this printing.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that this legislation addresses many
of the problems and complaints that have been made about the
explosion of boats and noise, especially at the Lake of the
Ozarks.  Supporters feel, with this legislation, boating safety
will be brought back to the waters of Missouri.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Franklin; Missouri
State Water Patrol; Jean Sally, Lake Ozark area resident; Lake
West Economic Development Association; Union Electric; Thomas
Arey, accident victim; Loan Oak Point Resort, Lake Ozark;
National Marine Manufactures; and Department of Public Safety.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that they are
concerned about the noise restrictions in the original bill.
They say many large and expensive boats may not be able to meet
these restrictions.  Some opponents feel this legislation does
not go far enough in regulating speed limits.  They would like
to see night and day time speed limits and licensing of boat
operators.

Testifying against the bill were Kelly Port Marina, Lake Ozark;
Chad Howell, boat owner; Robert Cox, Kansas City business owner
and Lake Ozark home owner; and West Lake Front Association.

Robert Triplett, Research Analyst

HB 217 -- Relating to Watercraft

Sponsor:  Franklin

This bill allows a one-time temporary certificate of number for
boats and temporary registration number for outboard motors to
be issued by the Department of Revenue.  Temporary certificates
of registration numbers will be available to dealers.  Dealers
cannot charge more than $5 for a temporary certificate of number
for vessels and $2 for temporary registration number for
outboard motors.  Dealers will be required to keep records on
all sales of temporary numbers.  These temporary numbers will be
issued for the use and operation of an outboard motor or vessel
to permit legal operation for only 20 days or until proper title
and registration has been obtained, whichever occurs first.

The State Water Patrol, sheriff, or other law enforcement
officer may authorize a towing operator to remove any vessel or
outboard motor left unattended more than 48 hours and which may
obstruct the normal movement of traffic along the shoreline or
is reported stolen, or any vessel or outboard motor whose
operator is arrested and taken into custody.  The bill
establishes procedures for obtaining ownership of any vessel or
outboard motor which has been towed and is unclaimed and for
liens for labor and storage.

Persons cannot operate or otherwise position a vessel, or
position themselves or any other object in a manner which
obstructs or impedes the normal flow of traffic on the waters of
this state.

This bill also contains language dealing with age requirements
for children operating watercraft, leaving the scene of an
accident, opening watercraft livery business records to law
enforcement officers, night speed limits, noise limits on
watercraft, requirements for flotation devises, and medical
examiner's reporting of deaths involving motorized watercraft.