State Boating Act
- Bill Number
- S. 3985
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-03-04: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Last Updated
- 2026-03-19T03:23:27Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The State Boating Act (S. 3985) aims to give states more flexibility in funding boating-related programs by allowing them to charge and collect specific fees when issuing vessel numbers (unique identifiers for boats). This helps support activities like safety improvements and environmental protection without relying solely on federal resources.
Key Provisions
- Authority for States: States can require payment of boating-related fees as a condition for issuing a vessel number. These fees may cover costs for search and rescue operations, boating safety measures, or efforts to control aquatic invasive species (non-native plants or animals that harm waterways).
- Collection Method: States can collect these fees at the same time as other required vessel numbering fees, making the process more efficient.
- Use of Funds: Collected fees must be used exclusively for purposes that benefit recreational boating, including:
- Improving boater safety.
- Enhancing access to waterways for boaters.
- Supporting the use of waterways by recreational boaters.
- Mitigating (reducing the impact of) aquatic invasive species.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill amends Section 12307 of Title 46 of the U.S. Code, which previously outlined limited state authority for vessel numbering fees. Key changes include:
- Expanding the list of allowable fees to explicitly include state-specific boating fees beyond basic numbering costs.
- Adding new subsections (b) and (c) to clarify how these fees can be collected and what they can fund, ensuring they are tied directly to recreational boating benefits.
- Minor rephrasing for clarity, such as inserting words like "are" and adjusting punctuation to integrate the new provisions smoothly.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: State agencies responsible for boating regulation (e.g., departments of natural resources) gain a new revenue stream to fund safety and environmental programs, potentially reducing the burden on federal agencies like the U.S. Coast Guard.
- On Citizens: Recreational boat owners may face additional state fees when registering vessels, increasing costs but improving safety and access to waterways. Non-boaters are unlikely to be directly affected.
- On International Relations: No apparent impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic state-federal coordination for U.S. waterways.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- States and Issuing Authorities: Benefit from expanded fee-collection powers to support local boating initiatives.
- Recreational Boaters and Vessel Owners: Directly impacted through potential fee payments, but gain from enhanced safety, access, and invasive species control.
- Environmental and Safety Organizations: Indirectly supported through dedicated funding for waterway protection and rescue operations.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal Implications: Strengthens state authority under federal maritime law (Title 46 governs U.S. shipping and navigation), ensuring fees are narrowly tailored to boating purposes to avoid challenges over misuse of funds.
- Constitutional Implications: Aligns with federalism principles by delegating more control to states in areas of shared jurisdiction (e.g., interstate waterways), without infringing on federal oversight of navigation.
- Political Implications: Bipartisan sponsorship (by Senators Crapo and Welch) suggests broad support for state-level environmental and safety enhancements; could encourage similar state-federal partnerships in other recreational areas, though it may spark debate over added costs to citizens.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (3)
Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT], Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID], Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]
Recent Actions
- 2026-03-04: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 2026-03-04: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- State Boating Act — issued 2026-03-04 — PDF (3 pages)