Massachusetts Legislation
Click here for the HB821-DavidHansonAct - an act relative to boater safety.
BHN's Position on Boston Harbor Moorings and Marinas READ MORE........
The committe on Environment, Natural Resources & Agriculture to whom was recommitted the petition
click here toread more......
The Official Website of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
http://www.env.state.ma.us/mepa/emonitor.aspx
Bills of the 187th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts deemed of interest to MBYCA clubs and their member…
Updated September 2011
House Bill 3020 petitioned by Stephen Stat Smith…Changes Excise tax on boats from $10 per thousand to $25 per thousand of valuation…relative to every watercraft habitually moored or docked…to pay excise tax in the year of manufacture 90%, second year 60%, third year 40%, fourth year 25% and in the fifth and succeeding years 10% to the town or city where moored…Value of vessel and equipment to be determined by the commissioner of revenue…Hearing 6-16-11…No action taken…Still in Committee on Revenue.
House Bill 2913 petitioned by John Fresolo and Angelo Puppolo…relative to Mandatory Boating Safety Education…Referred to Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security…No hearing…Still in Committee.
House Bill 656 petitioned by Angelo Puppolo…An act relative to recreational vehicles that allows Registry o f Motor Vehicles and Boat and Recreational Vehicle Safety Bureau to establish a safety program that all must participate in…carry certificate of completion at all times…Requires boat dealers to verify certificate prior to a purchase, rent or lease a vehicle…Referred to Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security...Hearing 6-16-11…No action taken…Still in Committee.
House Bill 3407…Recreational boats that operate over 25 hp would have a safety certificate process. This bill would give harbormasters the power to deny operators without a safety certificate…Also jet skis minimum capable of speeds in excess of 20mph…age set at 16…Hearing 6-07-11…No action taken…Still in Committee.
Senate Bill 400 repeals provisions authorizing municipalities to impose reasonable fees for mooring liscenses. The MMTA opposed this bill...Hearing 5-12-11…No action taken…Still in Committee.
House Bill 215 petitioned by Bruce J. Ayers…That the commissioner of the Department of Capital Asset and Management and Maintenance be prohibited from leasing the real property known as Outer Brewster Island located in Boston Harbor…Referred to the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture…No hearing…Still in committee
House Bill 216 petitioned by Bruce J. Ayers…The director of the division of waterways in the department of environmental quality engineering shall dredge the harbor area surrounding Squantum and Wollaston Yacht Clubs in the Wollaston Beach area in the city of Quincy. Subject to appropriations, a sum not to exceed $495,000 shall be expended for the dredging…Referred to Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture…Hearing 6-01-11…No action taken…Still in Committee.
House Bill 217 petitioned by Bruce J. Ayers…An act establishing a revolving fund to supplement the funding of waterway projects and coastal protection initiatives…to local governments…Referred to Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture…Hearing 4-05-11…No action taken.
House Bill 221 petitioned by James M. Cantwell …An act to establish a program within the office of waterways for the purpose of administering grants (not to exceed $25,000) to one or more regional entities for the purposes of dredging…Referred to Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture…Hearing 4-05-11…No action taken…Still in Committee.
House Bill 246 petitioned by Peake, Wolf, Madden, and Tarr…Repeals Section 33 of Chapter 291 of the acts of 2004…Amends Chapter 91 thus allowing for the differences between resident and non-resident mooring fees…Referred to Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture…Hearing 5-12-11…No action taken…Still in Committee.
House Bill 254 petitioned by Frank Smizik…An act preserving public trust rights in land affected by ocean erosion...barrier beach lands eroded and deposited onto ocean floor or public lands shall be and remain in public ownership…Referred to Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture…Hearing first and second… 5-25-11 ordered to third hearing.
House Bill 636 petitioned by Demetrius Atsalis… An act authorizing the town of Barnstable to regulate the delivery of fuel to a waterborne vessel within the boundaries of said town...requires that at least two persons be present at all times while 300 or more gallons of fuel are being delivered to any water borne vessel within the boundaries of Barnstable…Referred to Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security…No hearing…Still in Committee.
House Bill 646 petitioned by Viriato deMarco and Sheila Harrington Changes PFD requirement…All who are on a vessel during operation under twenty feet in length that requires a life saving device… must wear a PFD at all times during the operation of said vessel…Referred to Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security..No hearing…Still in Committee.
House Bill 652 petitioned by Sarah K. Peake and Cory Atkins…Requires all kayaks while under operation to display a high visibility orange flag on a pole at a height of six feet above the waterline…and any kayak operated from sunset to sunrise to display a yellow stern light that is visible for 360 degrees…Referred to Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security…No hearing…Still in Committee.
House Bill 664 petitioned by Cory Atkins and William Straus…An act relative to kayak safety…amends Section one of Chapter 90B by inserting after “Boating Accident” the words and definitions of canoe, jet ski, kayak and requires instructors of leasing organizations to be certified in first aid and CPR…Referred to Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security…Read first and second hearing…8-18-11 ordered to third reading.
House Bill 754 petitioned by James Cantwell repeals the Massachusetts ’sale tax on boats built or rebuilt within the Commonwealth…Referred to the Joint Committee on Revenues...Hearing 5-12-11…No action taken…Still in Committee.
House Bill 1147 petitioned by Vincent Pedone…Amends section two of Chapter 90B regarding definition of residency in Massachusetts…Refers to motor boat registration…Referred to Joint Committee on Environment , Natural Resources and Agriculture…Hearing 5-12-11…No action taken…Still in Committee.
House Bill 1565 petitioned by O’Day and 12 others… An act relative to jet skis, surf jets, wet bikes, and other personal watercraft in municipalities…allows towns to ban their use…Referred to Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security…No hearing…Still in Committee.
House Bill 1777 petitioned by David Sullivan and James Eldridge…relative to LNG facility permitting as it relates to public safety….benefits must outweigh detriments…Referred to Joint Committee on Telecommunication, Utilities and Energy...Hearing 5-13-11...No action taken…Still in Committee.
House Bill 2746 petitioned by Cantwell…relative to funding of dredging projects…allows for the Dept. of Agriculture to fund up to 75% of the dredging moneys and 50% of funds under this section…No hearing…Still in Committee…Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.
House Bill 2748…petitioned by Cantwell…an act authorizing dredging of the harbor around Houghs Neck in the city of Quincy...Hearing 5-12-11...No action taken...Still in Committee Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.
House Bill 3026 petitioned by Daniel K. Webster …Same as HB 3020…Hearing 6-16-11…No action taken…Still in Committee.
House Bill 3118 Authorizes the city of Boston to establish mooring and docking facilities for pleasure boats within city waters…Referred to Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture…Hearing 5-12-11…No action taken…Still in Committee.
House Bill 3272 establishes the White Water Rafting Fund: articulates provisions related to environmental boating regulation enforcement including fines…Referred to Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture…Hearing 5-12-11…No action taken…Still in Committee.
Senate Bill 355 calls for dredging the harbor area around Old Colony YC and Savin Hill YC...Hearing 5-12-11…No action taken…Still in Committee.
Senate Bill 385 repeals provisions limiting police officers authorized to enforce provisions relative to motorboats and other vessels and recreational vehicles to those assigned to harbor patrol; authorizes all police officers to enforce said provisions..Hearing 5-12-11...No action taken…Still in Committee..
Senate Bill 1756 allows for the keeping of the certificate registration number of boats if the sale is between members of the same family…No hearing…Still in Committee.
For complete copies of these bills log onto www.malegislature.gov/Bills/Search and enter the bill number in the appropriate box.
House Bills Search Example House Bill 215 type in H.215 or H0215
Senate Bills Search Example Senate Bill 355 type in S.0355
