SB 241 — AN ACT CONCERNING BOATING SAFETY.

Substitute Senate GeneralBill Assembly File No.

440241 FebruaryPublic Session,Act 2022 Substitute Senate Bill No.

24122-144 Senate,AN AprilACT 13,CONCERNING 2022BOATING TheSAFETY. Committee on Environment reported through SEN.

COHEN of the 12th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING BOATING SAFETY.

Subsections (d) and (e) of section 15-154 of the general statutes sSB241are /repealed Fileand No.the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2022):

440(d) 1Upon sSB241the Fileimmediate approach of a law enforcement vessel using Substitute Senate Bill No.

440241 arean repealedaudible signal device [and] or flashing blue lights, or a fire rescue vessel using an audible signal device [and] or flashing red or yellow lights, any person operating a vessel shall immediately slow to a speed sufficient to maintain steerage only, shall alter course, within its ability, so asnotto inhibit or interferewiththeoperationofthelawenforcement vessel or fire rescue vessel, and theshall followingproceed, isunless substitutedotherwise directed by an officer in lieuthe thereoflaw (Effectiveenforcement Octobervessel 1,or 2022):fire rescue vessel, at a reduced speed until beyond the area of operation of the law enforcement vessel or fire rescue vessel.

(d) Upon the immediate approach of a law enforcement vessel using an audible signal device [and] or flashing blue lights, or a fire rescue vessel using an audible signal device [and] or flashing red or yellow lights, any person operating a vessel shall immediately slow to a speed sufficient to maintain steerage only, shall alter course, within its ability, so asnotto inhibit or interferewiththeoperationofthelaw enforcement vessel or fire rescue vessel, and shall proceed, unless otherwise directed by an officer in the law enforcement vessel or fire rescue vessel, at a reduced speed until beyond the area of operation of the law enforcement vessel or fire rescue vessel.

(NEW) (Effective July 1, 2022) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall establish a schedule of retention fees for lake authorities that provides for the amount of any fine issued by such authority, to any person who violates the boating laws of the state upon sSB241such /lake, Filethat No.such authority may retain.

440Public 2Act sSB241 File No.

44022-144 such2 lake,of that3 suchSubstitute authoritySenate mayBill retain.No.

Sec.241 Approved May 31, 2022 Public Act No.

4.22-144 3 of 3

(Effective July 1, 2022) The sum of five million dollars is appropriated to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection from the General Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, for the purposes of increasing environmental conservation police officer staffing levels in order to provide enhanced and sustained enforcement of the boating laws of the state on the lakes, rivers and other waters of the state.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:

Section 1 October 1, 2022 15-136(a) Sec.

2 October 1, 2022 15-154(d) and (e) Sec.

3 July 1, 2022 New section Sec.

4 July 1, 202 New section ENV Joint Favorable Subst.

sSB241 / File No.

440 3 sSB241 File No.

440 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:

See Below Municipal Impact:

Municipalities Effect FY 23 $ FY 24 $ Various Municipalities Revenue Potential Potential Gain Minimal Minimal Explanation The bill appropriates $5 million to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) for FY 23 to hire more environmental conservation (EnCon) officers to enforce boating laws on state waters.

sHB 5037, the Appropriations Committee Budget for FY 23, includes funding of $340,265 to hire five EnCon Officers.

The bill also requires DEEP to establish a schedule of fees that lake authorities may keep for issuing fines to those who violate boating laws.

This could result in a minimal revenue gain to municipalities to the extentlakeauthoritiesestablishascheduleoffinesforboatingviolations and violations occur.

The bill makes other changes that are not anticipated to have a fiscal impact.

The Out Years The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future subject to inflation and violations.

sSB241 / File No.

440 4 sSB241 File No.

440 OLR Bill Analysis sSB 241 AN ACT CONCERNING BOATING SAFETY.

SUMMARY This bill appropriates $5 million to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) from the General Fund for FY 23 to hiremoreenvironmentalconservation(EnCon)policeofficerstoenforce boating laws on state waters.

The bill also requires the DEEP commissioner to establish a schedule of retention fees that lake authorities may keep for issuing fines to people who violate state boating laws.

By law, any two or more towns that have a body of state water within their territorial limits may establish a lake authority by ordinance.

The lake authority must cooperate with the DEEP commissioner to enforce boating laws on the water (CGS § 7-151a).