An Act To Ensure Boating Safety
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1366
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Sponsors: McKEE, BRENNAN, ADAMS, DUPLESSIE, MARRACHE, SAVIELLO
Amends: 12 MRSA §7792-B

12lst MAINE LEGISLATURE 
Legislative Document 
No. 1366 
H.P. 1001 
House of Representatives, March 18,2003 
An Act To Ensure Boating Safety 
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative McKEE of Wayne. 
Cosponsored by Senator BRENNAN of Cumberland and 
1Y/~/J7.~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: ADAMS of Portland, DUPLESSIE of Westbrook, MARRACHE of 
Waterville, SAVIELLO of Wilton. 
Printnl nn recydaJ rarer 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §7792-B is enacted to read: 
§7792-B. 
Boating safety course 
Pursuant to the commissioner's rule-making authority under 
section 7792, the commissioner shall approve and make available 
boating safety courses and shall require successful completion of 
such a course for any: 
1. 
SUIIIIler camps. 
Volunteer or employee of a children's 
summer camp who will operate a motorboat carrying a child or 
children; and 
2. 
Recreation programs. 
Volunteer 
or 
employee 
of 
any 
recreation program maintained or operated by the State or any of 
its political subdivisions who will operate a motorboat carrying 
a child or children. 
Sec. 2. Boating safety rules. 
Pursuant 
to 
the 
rule-making 
authority established by the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, 
section 7792 the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife 
shall adopt rules to: 
1. 
Require all motorboats to be equipped with a horn or 
other appropriate device for making sounds to alert other persons 
operating watercraft; 
2. 
Establish reduced speed zones for motorboats 
~n areas 
adjacent to children's summer camps; and 
3. 
Establish 
a 
training 
program 
for 
volunteer 
boating 
safety instructors. 
Rules 
adopted 
pursuant 
to 
this 
technical rules as defined in the Maine 
5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
section 
are 
routine 
Revised Statutes, Title 
Sec. 3. Study group established. 
Group, 
referred to in this section 
established to study issues relating 
State's inland waters. 
The 
Boating Safety Study 
as "the study group" is 
to boating safety on the 
1. 
Study group membership. 
The study group consists of 7 
members appointed as follows: 
A. 
The Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife or the 
commissioner's designee; 
Page l-LR0547(1) 
B. 
One member of the Senate, appointed by the President of 
the Senate; 
C. 
One member of the House, appointed by the Speaker of the 
House; 
D. 
One member of the public, appointed by the Governor; 
E. 
One 
member 
representing waterfront 
property 
owners, 
appointed by the Governor; 
F. 
One 
member 
representing 
children's 
summer 
camps, 
appointed by the President of the Senate; and 
G. 
One member representing boat dealers, appointed by the 
Speaker of the House. 
2. 
Chairs. 
The Senate member is the Senate chair of the 
study group and the House member is the House chair of the study 
group. 
3. 
Appointments; 
convening 
of 
study 
group. 
All 
appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the 
effective date of this section. 
The appointing authorities shall 
notify the Executive Director of the Legislative Council once all 
appointments 
have 
been 
completed. 
Within 
days 
after 
appointment of all members, the chairs shall call and convene the 
first meeting of the study group. 
4. 
Duties. 
The 
study group shall examine study issues 
relating to boating safety on the State's inland waters 
and 
develop recommendations for ways and means to aid the Department 
of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to ensure boating safety. The 
study group shall meet a minimum of 3 times and may hold public 
hearings as it sees fit and within its budgeted resources. 
5. 
Council, 
necessary 
Staff assistance. 
Upon 
approval 
of 
the Legislative 
the Office of Policy and Legal Analysis shall provide 
staffing services to the study group. 
6. 
Compensation. 
The 
legislative members 
of the 
study 
group are entitled to the legislative per diem, as defined in the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 3, section 2, and reimbursement for 
travel and other necessary expenses related to their attendance 
at authorized meetings of the study group. 
Public members not 
otherwise compensated by their employers or other entities that 
they represent are entitled to receive reimbursement of necessary 
expenses and, upon a demonstration of financial hardship, a per 
diem equal to the legislative per diem for their attendance at 
authorized meetings of the study group. 
7. 
Report. 
No later than December 1, 2003, the study group 
shall 
submit 
a 
report 
that 
includes 
its 
findings 
and 
recommendations, 
including 
suggested 
legislation, 
for 
presentation 
to 
the 
Second 
Regular 
Session 
of 
the 
121st 
Legislature. 
The 
study 
group 
is 
authorized 
to 
introduce 
legislation related to its report to the Legislature at the time 
of submission of its report. 
8. 
Extension. 
If the study group requires 
extension of time to complete its study and make its 
may 
apply 
to 
the 
Legislative 
Council, 
which 
may 
extension. 
a 
limited 
report, it 
grant 
an 
10. 
Study group budget. 
The chairs of the study group, 
with assistance from the study group staff, shall administer the 
study group's budget. 
Within 10 days after its first meeting, 
the study group shall present a work plan and proposed budget to 
the Legislative Council for its approval. 
The study group may 
not 
incur 
expenses 
that would 
result in the 
study group's 
exceeding its approved budget. 
Upon 
request 
from 
the 
study 
group, the Executive Director of the Legislative Council shall 
promptly provide the study group chairs and staff with a status 
report on the study group budget, expenditures incurred and paid 
and available funds. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires a boating safety course approved by the 
Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for any children's 
summer camp or recreation program personnel who will be operating 
a motorboat carrying a child or children. 
The bill requires the 
commissioner to adopt rules requiring that motorboats be equipped 
with horns or other sound-making devices, establishing reduced 
speed 
zones 
near children'S 
summer 
camps 
and establishing a 
training program for volunteer boating safety instructors. 
The 
bill also establishes the 7-member Boating Safety Study Group to 
review issues surrounding boating safety on the State's inland 
waters.