I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2700 
To require all recreational vessels to have and post passenger capacity limits, 
to amend title 46, United States Code, to authorize States to enter 
into contracts for the provision of boating safety education services 
under State recreational boating safety programs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 9, 2015 
Mr. ISRAEL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees 
on Ways and Means and Natural Resources, for a period to be subse-
quently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To require all recreational vessels to have and post passenger 
capacity limits, to amend title 46, United States Code, 
to authorize States to enter into contracts for the provi-
sion of boating safety education services under State 
recreational boating safety programs, and for other pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Boating Occupancy 
and Teaching Safety Act’’ or the ‘‘BOATS Act’’. 
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(1) in a location that is clearly visible to a pas-
senger boarding the passenger vessel; and 
(2) on each flying bridge of the vessel, in a lo-
cation that is clearly visible to a passenger on the 
flying bridge. 
(c) PENALTIES.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Commandant of 
the Coast Guard shall publish regulations that establish 
appropriate penalties for a manufacturer of a recreational 
vessel that does not comply with the requirements of this 
section. 
(d) APPLICATION.—The requirements of this section 
shall apply to any recreational vessel manufactured after 
the date that is 180 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
SEC. 4. STATE RECREATIONAL BOATING SAFETY PRO-
GRAMS. 
(a) PROGRAM ACCEPTANCE.—Section 13103 of title 
46, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (4) by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(B) in paragraph (5) by striking the period 
at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(6) contracting practices in accordance with 
subsection (e).’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(e) CONTRACTING.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—A State carrying out a 
State recreational boating safety program may enter 
into a contract with a local government or private 
entity to have the government or entity provide boat-
ing safety education services under the program. 
‘‘(2) EXPENDITURE REQUIREMENT.—Each fis-
cal year, a State carrying out a State recreational 
boating safety program shall expend on contracts de-
scribed in paragraph (1) not less than 5 percent of 
the Federal amounts received by that State in that 
fiscal year under this chapter. 
‘‘(3) CONSIDERATIONS.—In entering into con-
tracts under paragraph (1), a State shall consider— 
‘‘(A) the need for geographic diversity 
among the local governments and private enti-
ties providing education services under the con-
tracts; 
‘‘(B) the need to have education services 
that address the various vessels utilized in the 
State; 
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‘‘(C) the need to have education services 
that address the various waterways in the 
State; and 
‘‘(D) all the costs related to providing edu-
cation services under the contracts that may af-
fect the local governments and private entities 
providing the services. 
‘‘(4) ELIGIBILITY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to enter 
into a contract under paragraph (1), a local 
government or private entity shall— 
‘‘(i) submit to the appropriate State 
lead authority or agency designated under 
subsection (a)(4) a detailed proposal for 
the provision of boating safety education 
services; and 
‘‘(ii) certify that the government or 
entity will not profit financially from pro-
viding the services. 
‘‘(B) EXCEPTIONS.— 
‘‘(i) EXISTING PROVIDERS.—Subpara-
graph (A)(i) does not apply to a local gov-
ernment or private entity that provided 
boating safety education services before the 
date of enactment of this subsection under 
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standards established by the relevant 
State. 
‘‘(ii) 
501(c)(3) 
ORGANIZATIONS.— 
Subparagraph (A)(ii) does not apply to an 
organization described in section 501(c)(3) 
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and 
exempt from taxation under section 501(a) 
of such Code if the organization certifies to 
the relevant State that all relevant profits 
will be used to advance boating safety. 
‘‘(5) EDUCATION
SERVICES
CRITERIA.—The 
Secretary, in consultation with States and relevant 
stakeholders, shall establish criteria for the boating 
safety education services provided by local govern-
ments and private entities under this subsection. 
Using the criteria, a State shall establish outlines 
specifying the requirements for education services in 
that State and education services in that State shall 
be provided in accordance with the outlines. 
‘‘(6) ADDITIONAL CONTRACTING.—A local gov-
ernment that enters into a contract under paragraph 
(1) to provide boating safety education services may 
contract with a private entity to receive assistance 
with the provision of those services. 
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‘‘(7) ADVERTISING.—A local government or pri-
vate entity that enters into a contract under para-
graph (1) to provide boating safety education serv-
ices may utilize funds provided under that contract 
to advertise such services. 
‘‘(8) REPORT.—Each fiscal year, a State that 
entered into contracts under this subsection shall 
submit to the Secretary a report specifying the gov-
ernments and entities contracted with in that fiscal 
year.’’. 
(b) SPORT FISH RESTORATION AND BOATING TRUST 
FUND.—Section 9504(b)(2)(A) of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986 is amended by striking ‘‘Highway and 
Transportation Funding Act of 2015’’ and inserting 
‘‘Boating Occupancy and Teaching Safety Act’’. 
Æ 
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