HB 556 Georgia House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Watercraft; boat liveries and education courses; provide

Summary

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 52-7-8.3 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to operation of watercraft, identification, and operation by minors, so as to provide for boat liveries and education courses; to provide for a penalty; to provide for definitions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Bill status died 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 20, 2025 Last action Apr 4, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

LC 44 3073/a → LC 44 3123S/hs · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to replace references to 'boat liveries' with 'rentals' and significantly expanded age restrictions for renting watercraft. The original bill allowed 16-year-olds to rent boats with education, while the amended version raises the minimum age to 18 and requires education for all renters regardless of age. The amendment also adds new educational topics and clarifies departmental approval requirements.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded from allowing 16-year-olds to rent vessels to requiring all renters to be at least 18 years old with completed education courses.

ELIGIBILITY

Age requirement for renting watercraft increased from 16 years to 18 years old

REQUIREMENT

Education course completion now required for all renters regardless of age, previously only for those 16 and older

Added two new educational topics: aids to navigation with buoys and proper identification

Changed course approval authority from 'department's Law Enforcement Division' to just 'the department'

Added requirement that at least one additional person on vessel must complete course if present

DEFINITION

Replaced 'boat livery' terminology with 'rentals' throughout the bill text

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 4, 2025

Committee

House Withdrawn, Recommitted

lower

Feb 27, 2025

Lower · Passed

House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute

lower

Feb 20, 2025

Introduced

House Hopper

lower

5 primary · 0 co-sponsors