Title: Vessel Safety

Summary: Revises the requirements for floatation devices.

Full Text:
An act relating to vessel safety; amending s. 327.50, F.S.; revising the requirements for floatation devices; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Section 327.50, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 327.50 Vessel safety regulations; equipment and lighting requirements.  (1)(a) The owner and operator of every vessel on the waters of this state shall carry, store, maintain, and use safety equipment in accordance with current United States Coast Guard safety equipment requirements as specified in the Code of Federal Regulations, unless expressly exempted by the department. (b) No person shall operate a vessel less than feet in length on the waters of this state unless every person under years of age on board the vessel is wearing an appropriate personal floatation device approved by the a type I, type II, or type III Coast Guard approved personal flotation device while such vessel is underway. For the purpose of this section,  underway  shall mean at all times except when a vessel is anchored, moored, made fast to the shore, or aground. (2) No person shall operate a vessel on the waters of this state unless said vessel is equipped with properly serviceable lights and shapes required by the navigation rules. (3) The use of sirens or flashing, occulting, or revolving lights on any vessel is prohibited, except as expressly provided in the navigation rules or annexes thereto. Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.