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To allow States to require payment of State fees related to boating as a condition for issuance of a vessel number and to collect such fees in conjunction with other fees related to vessel numbering.
Summary
This bill would allow states to require payment of state fees related to boating as a condition for issuing a vessel number. States could collect these fees at the same time they collect other vessel numbering fees. Allowable state fees could support search and rescue operations, boating safety programs, and efforts to address aquatic invasive species. Any fees collected would be restricted to funding activities directly related to recreational boating improvements, boater safety, boater access, waterway use, and aquatic invasive species mitigation.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID] (R-ID)
3 cosponsors
- Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID] (R-ID)
- Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH] (D-NH)
- Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT] (D-VT)
Actions (2)
- Mar 4, 2026 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. · senate
- Mar 4, 2026 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
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Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 4, 2026
Mr. Crapo (for himself and Mr. Welch) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
A BILL
To allow States to require payment of State fees related to boating as a condition for issuance of a vessel number and to collect such fees in conjunction with other fees related to vessel numbering.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “State Boating Act”.
SEC. 2. COLLECTION OF STATE FEES RELATED TO BOATING.
Section 12307 of title 46, United States Code, is amended—
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—
(A) by striking “The authority” and inserting
“(a) In General.—The authority”; and
(B) by striking “that are—” and inserting “that—”;
(2) in paragraph (1)—
(A) by inserting “are” before “prescribed”; and
(B) by striking “; or” and inserting a semicolon;
(3) in paragraph (2)—
(A) by inserting “are” before “related”; and
(B) by striking the period and inserting “; or”; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
“(3) require the payment of State fees related to boating, which may include fees for search and rescue operations, boating safety measures, or efforts to address aquatic invasive species.
“(b) State Fees Related to Boating.—A State issuing authority may collect a fee described in subsection (a)(3) in conjunction with the collection of any other fee established under this section.
“(c) Use of Fees.—Fees collected by States under the authority of this section may only be used to fund activities directly related to improving recreational boating, boater safety, boater access, use of waterways by recreational boaters, and aquatic invasive species mitigation.”. <all>
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