Abandoned Watercraft Abatement Fund: grants.

Existing law makes it an infraction punishable by a maximum $3,000 fine, and a minimum $1000 fine, for a person to abandon a vessel upon a public waterway or public or private property without the express or implied consent of the owner or person in lawful possession or control of the property, except for the urgent and immediate concern for the safety of those aboard the vessel. Existing law requires 80% of those fines imposed and collected to be deposited in the Abandoned Watercraft Abatement Fund, and used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for grants to local agencies for, among other purposes, removal as a public nuisance of abandoned vessels. Existing law prohibits the grants from being used for abatement, removal, storage, or disposal of commercial vessels. This bill would delete that prohibition and thereby authorize grants to be used for abatement, removal, storage, or disposal of commercial vessels.