• Untitled Document

    Join us on March 29rd, 7pm EST

    for the CBEC Virtual Meeting

    All EYO members and followers are welcome to join the fun and get to know the guest speaker!

    See the link below for login credentials and join us!

    March Meeting Info

    (dismiss this notice by hitting 'X', upper right)

It's about time.

Jeff Asbury

Principal Partner
August 29, 2014

Dear California BoatU.S. Member:

Legislation is headed to the California Governor’s desk that will require boaters operating motorized vessels in the state to complete a boater education course and carry an operator card. BoatU.S. has been working with the Recreational Boaters of California (RBOC) to help guide and shape the development of this legislation over the last several years.

Some key points:

This requirement will be a phased in by age:
Starting January 1, 2018, boat operators < 20 years old
January 1, 2019, boat operators <25 years old
January 1, 2020, boat operators <35 years old
January 1, 2021, boat operators <40 years old
January 1, 2022, boat operators <45 years old
January 1, 2023, boat operators <50 years old
January 1, 2024, boat operators <60 years old
January 1, 2025, all boater operators regardless of age
The state has not yet developed the system for getting cards to boaters. However, we anticipate that taking either a classroom or online course, like the free BoatU.S. Foundation boating safety course, will be satisfactory ways to qualify for the state card.

Holders of U.S. Coast Guard marine operators licenses, out of state boaters and renters are exempt.

California Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) may charge a fee for the operator card, not to exceed $30. BoatU.S. and RBOC have been and will continue to be engaged in this process to ensure the fee is reasonable. As a point of reference, Oregon currently charges $10 to issue its state boater education card.

Currently, 45 other states require some form of boater education.

You can review California Senate Bill 941 by clicking here.

RBOC and BoatU.S. support this legislation and are committed to ensuring its requirements are realistic for California boaters.

If you’d like to share your own views on the legislation with Governor Brown click here to use the BoatU.S. email system.

Thank you for being a BoatU.S. Member!

Margaret Podlich
President, BoatU.S.
GovtAffairs@BoatUS.com
703-461-2878 x8363
BoatUS.com/Gov

For an update on this and other government affairs topics, please visit BoatUS.com/gov.

DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. If you prefer not to receive BoatU.S. Government Affairs Alert emails, go to http://www.boatus.com/gov/unsub.asp, or use the link at the bottom of this message.
 

Macgyro

Amazingly Still Afloat
Blogs Author
Boater Safety Card

We've had the system up and running in Maryland for a while now. I took the course in 6th grade as part of the curriculum as well as hunter safety. Great courses. I'm sure they save lives.

Happy Boating!
 
Top