Bill > HB195

This bill, known as the "Constitutional Rights for Hunters and Boaters Act", amends Georgia's existing watercraft enforcement laws to require law enforcement officers to have probable cause before boarding or issuing summonses to boaters. Specifically, the bill modifies Code Section 52-7-25 to stipulate that officers can only stop and board a vessel, or conduct a search, when they have probable cause to believe a law or regulatory violation has occurred. This is a significant change from the previous language, which allowed officers to board and search vessels based on more subjective standards like what an individual officer "believes". The bill applies to various types of vessel inspections, including examining safety equipment, marine toilets, holding tanks, and related documentation. By introducing the probable cause standard, the bill aims to provide greater protection for boaters' constitutional rights against unreasonable searches and seizures, ensuring that law enforcement must have a more concrete justification for stopping and searching a vessel on the water.

Justice

https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69704