I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4468 
To direct the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is 
operating to study and report to the Congress regarding recreational 
vessel operator training. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 28, 2017 
Mr. KING of New York (for himself, Miss RICE of New York, and Mr. 
SUOZZI) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of the department in which the 
Coast Guard is operating to study and report to the 
Congress regarding recreational vessel operator training. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. RECREATIONAL VESSEL OPERATOR EDU-
CATION AND TRAINING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the depart-
ment in which the Coast Guard is operating shall study 
and report to the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure of the House of Representatives and the Com-
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mittees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate regarding recreational vessel operator training. 
The study and report shall included a review of— 
(1) Coast Guard Auxiliary and Power Squadron 
training programs; 
(2) existing State boating education programs, 
including programs by the National Association of 
State Boating Law Administrators (in this section 
referred to as ‘‘NASBLA’’); and 
(3) other hands-on training programs available 
to recreational vessel operators. 
(b) INCLUDED SUBJECTS.—The study shall specifi-
cally examine— 
(1) course materials; 
(2) course content; 
(3) training methodology; 
(4) assessment methodology; and 
(5) relevancy of course content to risks for rec-
reational boaters. 
(c) CONTENTS OF REPORT.—The report under this 
section shall include— 
(1) a section regarding steps the Coast Guard 
and NASBLA have taken to encourage States to 
adopt mandatory recreational vessel operator train-
ing; 
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(2) an evaluation of the ability of the States to 
harmonize their education programs and testing pro-
cedures; 
(3) an analysis of the extent States have pro-
vided reciprocity among the States for their respec-
tive mandatory and voluntary education require-
ments and programs; 
(4) a section examining the level of uniformity 
of education and training between the States that 
currently have mandatory education and training 
programs; 
(5) a section outlining the minimum standards 
for education of recreational vessel operators; 
(6) a section analyzing how a Federal training 
and testing program can be harmonized with State 
training and testing programs; 
(7) analysis of course content and delivery 
methodology for relevancy to risks for recreational 
boaters; 
(8) a description of the current phase-in periods 
for mandatory boater education in State mandatory 
education programs and recommendation for the 
phase-in period for a mandatory boater education 
program including an evaluation as to whether the 
phase-in period affects course availability and cost; 
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(9) a description of the extent States allow for 
experienced boaters to by-pass mandatory education 
courses and go directly to testing; 
(10) recommendations for a by-pass option for 
experienced boaters; 
(11) a section analyzing how the Coast Guard 
would administer a Federal boating education, train-
ing, and testing program; and 
(12) the extent to which a Federal boating edu-
cation, training, and testing program should be re-
quired for all waters of a State, including internal 
waters. 
Æ 
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