BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 457
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Date of Hearing: June 18, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON WATER, PARKS AND WILDLIFE
Anthony Rendon, Chair
SB 457 (Monning) - As Amended: April 30, 2013
SENATE VOTE : 36-0
SUBJECT : Vessels: Department of Boating and Waterways: Law
Enforcement Grant Reporting Requirements
SUMMARY : Requires a public agency that receives law
enforcement grant funds from the Department of Boating and
Waterways (DBW) to submit a report to the DBW on any boating
accidents to which it responds or receives a report.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires a public agency that is under contract with the DBW
to receive law enforcement grant funds from the DBW to,
pursuant to regulations adopted by the DBW, complete and
submit a report for any boating accident to which it responds
or receives a report.
2)Provides that a public agency that receives law enforcement
grant funds from the DBW and fails to submit an accident
report as required shall be ineligible to receive future grant
funds for up to five fiscal years, except upon a showing of
good cause.
3)Requires the DBW to use reasonable means to obtain completed
accident reports and to notify a public agency of the failure
to submit a report before determining that the agency is
ineligible for future funding.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Requires the owner, operator, or other person who is on board
a vessel involved in a casualty or accident to report the
casualty or accident in accordance with regulations developed
by the DBW. Requires the DBW to adopt regulations to maintain
a uniform reporting system in conformity with federal Coast
Guard regulations.
2)Requires a peace officer or harbor police officer upon
receiving a report of a casualty involving the death or
SB 457
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disappearance of a person as a result of a boating accident to
immediately forward the report to the DBW.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS : The author indicates that the purpose of this bill
is to provide the DBW with more complete boating accident
reports so that there is improved compliance with federal
regulations regarding reporting requirements. According to
background information provided by the author of this bill, the
DBW is required by federal law to collect boating accident data
and, upon request, provide that data to federal agencies.
Funding from federal agencies is contingent on compliance with
these requirements. However, the DBW does not always receive
complete or accurate reports on boating accidents. This bill
seeks to improve the collection of boating accident data by
requiring any local public agency that receives law enforcement
grant funding from the DBW to collect and file boating accident
reports with the DBW. Failure to comply with the accident
reporting requirements would make the agency ineligible for
future grant funding for a period of five years, absent a
showing of good cause. The author asserts this bill will help
improve the quality and accuracy of boating accident reports.
Better boating accident data will also help the DBW identify and
address boating safety issues and help reduce loss of life and
property due to boating accidents.
Note: The DBW, effective July 1, 2013, will become a Division
of the Department of Parks & Recreation as a result of the
government reorganization plan approved last year.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file.
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Diane Colborn / W., P. & W. / (916)
319-2096
SB 457
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