watercraft and boating
violations
House Bill 2230 provides for the establishment of a title-holding system in which the lienholder retains the vehicle title until the lien is satisfied.
The proposed strike-everything amendment to House Bill 2230 increases the penalty for negligent operation of a watercraft from a class 3 to a class 2 misdemeanor. In addition, HB 2230 provides that except for violations regarding collisions, operating a watercraft while intoxicated, tampering with watercraft identification numbers, all other boating and watersport violations are reduced to a petty offense.
Laws 1958, Chapter 100, Article 5 added a new section of law to regulate boating and watersports and specified the violation for negligent operation of a watercraft as a misdemeanor. Laws 1978, Chapter 201 specified these violations as a class 3 misdemeanor. Prior to the 1978 change, the penalty for the misdemeanor was $300. The current penalty for a class 3 misdemeanor is up to thirty days in jail and up to a $500 fine (before surcharges). A petty offense does not include jail time, but specifies a fine of up to $300 (before surcharges).
A class 2 misdemeanor is punishable by up to four months in jail and up to a $250 fine (before surcharges).