Bill > S0058

Introduced Session

An act relating to boating safety; amending s. 322.051, F.S.; requiring the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to issue original, renewal, or replacement identification cards with a lifetime boating safety identification card symbol to applicants if certain conditions are met; requiring the department to include the symbol on such cards with no additional fee for the designation; requiring the department to issue certain replacement identification cards without charging a specified fee; amending s. 322.08, F.S.; requiring that applications for original, renewal, or replacement driver licenses or identification cards indicate whether the applicant has obtained a boating safety identification card and, if so, that a copy of such card be submitted with the application; authorizing the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to provide the department with certain information relating to the applicant; amending s. 322.14, F.S.; requiring the department to issue original, renewal, or replacement driver licenses with a lifetime boating safety identification card symbol to applicants if certain conditions are met; requiring the department to include the symbol on such licenses with no additional fee for the designation; requiring the department to issue certain replacement driver licenses without charging a specified fee; amending s. 327.30, F.S.; revising the penalties for persons operating a vessel involved in an accident or injury who leave the scene of the accident or injury under certain circumstances; providing graduated penalties depending on the level of damage to property or injury to person; providing a mandatory minimum sentence for a person who willfully commits such a violation resulting in the death of another while boating under the influence; defining the term “serious bodily injury”; amending s. 327.33, F.S.; providing increased criminal penalties for the reckless operation of a vessel which causes serious bodily injury to another; defining the term “serious bodily injury”; amending s. 327.35, F.S.; revising the conditions that compose the offense of, and penalties for, boating under the influence (BUI); requiring courts to order the mandatory placement of ignition interlock devices upon certain vehicles leased or owned and routinely operated by certain persons; revising the conditions composing the offense of, and penalties for, BUI manslaughter; providing a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment for a person convicted of BUI manslaughter; requiring courts to order the mandatory placement of ignition interlock devices upon certain vehicles leased or owned and routinely operated by certain persons; revising substance abuse education, evaluation, and treatment requirements for certain persons; requiring substance abuse programs to notify the court and department of an offender’s failure to report to or complete such treatment or education and evaluation; providing penalties for the offender; requiring waivers before organizations conducting substance abuse education and evaluation begin providing such treatment; providing authorization and documentation requirements for such waivers; authorizing civil penalties; requiring a person convicted of certain BUI violations to maintain an insurance policy that meets certain requirements; providing criminal penalties for failure to maintain such insurance policy; making technical changes; amending s. 327.352, F.S.; revising penalties for a person operating a vessel who fails to submit to a lawful test of his or her breath or urine; amending s. 327.395, F.S.; requiring that all persons, rather than only persons born on or after a specified date, have specified identification in their possession while operating a vessel; revising the required components of the commission’s developed or approved boating safety education course and temporary certificate examination; amending s. 327.731, F.S.; revising the mandatory education requirements for a person convicted of certain violations; requiring the commission to adopt rules; making technical changes; amending s. 782.072, F.S.; revising the definition of the term “vessel homicide” to include the killing of an unborn child by causing injury to the mother by operation of a vessel in a reckless manner under certain circumstances; defining the term “unborn child”; amending ss. 119.0712, 327.70, and 327.73, F.S.; conforming cross-references; reenacting s. 327.54(4), F.S., relating to liveries, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 327.395, F.S., in references thereto; providing effective dates.

AI Summary

Ileana Garcia (R)*, 

Died in Criminal Justice, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/CS/CS/HB 289 (Ch. 2025-197) (on 06/16/2025)

Official Document