HB-5164, As Passed Senate, June 13, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUBSTITUTE FOR

 

HOUSE BILL NO. 5164

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

 

"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

 

by amending sections 1301, 2035, 44501, 44511, 44516, 44518,

 

44520, 44520a, and 44524 (MCL 324.1301, 324.2035, 324.44501,

 

324.44511, 324.44516, 324.44518, 324.44520, 324.44520a, and

 

324.44524), section 1301 as amended by 2011 PA 218, section 2035

 

as added and sections 44501, 44511, and 44518 as amended by 2004

 

PA 587, sections 44516, 44520, and 44524 as added by 1995 PA 57,

 

and section 44520a as added by 2006 PA 183, and by adding section

 

44522a; and to repeal acts and parts of acts.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

 1        Sec. 1301. As used in this part:

 

 2        (a) "Application period" means the period beginning when an


 

 1  application for a permit is received by the state and ending when

 

 2  the application is considered to be administratively complete

 

 3  under section 1305 and any applicable fee has been paid.

 

 4        (b) "Department" means the department, agency, or officer

 

 5  authorized by this act to approve or deny an application for a

 

 6  particular permit.

 

 7        (c) "Director" means the director of the state department

 

 8  authorized under this act to approve or deny an application for a

 

 9  particular permit or the director's designee.

 

10        (d) "Permit" means a permit or operating license required by

 

11  any of the following sections or by rules promulgated thereunder,

 

12  or, in the case of section 9112, by an ordinance adopted

 

13  thereunder:

 

14        (i) Section 3104, floodplain alteration permit.

 

15        (ii) Section 3503, permit for use of water in mining iron

 

16  ore.

 

17        (iii) Section 4105, sewerage system construction permit.

 

18        (iv) Section 6516, vehicle testing license.

 

19        (v) Section 6521, motor vehicle fleet testing permit.

 

20        (vi) Section 8310, restricted use pesticide dealer license.

 

21        (vii) Section 8310a, agricultural pesticide dealer license.

 

22        (viii) Section 8504, license to manufacture or distribute

 

23  fertilizer.

 

24        (ix) Section 9112, local soil erosion and sedimentation

 

25  control permit.

 

26        (x) Section 11509, solid waste disposal area construction

 

27  permit.


 

 1        (xi) Section 11512, solid waste disposal area operating

 

 2  license.

 

 3        (xii) Section 11542, municipal solid waste incinerator ash

 

 4  landfill operating license amendment.

 

 5        (xiii) Section 11702, septage waste servicing license or

 

 6  septage waste vehicle license.

 

 7        (xiv) Section 11709, septage waste site permit.

 

 8        (xv) Section 30104, inland lakes and streams project permit.

 

 9        (xvi) Section 30304, state permit for dredging, filling, or

 

10  other activity in wetland. Permit includes an authorization for a

 

11  specific project to proceed under a general permit issued under

 

12  section 30312.

 

13        (xvii) Section 31509, dam construction, repair, or removal

 

14  permit.

 

15        (xviii) Section 32312, flood risk, high risk, or environmental

 

16  area permit.

 

17        (xix) Section 32503, permit for dredging and filling

 

18  bottomland.

 

19        (xx) Section 32603, permit for submerged log removal from

 

20  Great Lakes bottomlands.

 

21        (xxi) Section 35304, department permit for critical dune area

 

22  use.

 

23        (xxii) Section 36505, endangered species permit.

 

24        (xxiii) Section 41702, game bird hunting preserve license.

 

25        (xxiv) Section 42101, dog training area permit.

 

26        (xxv) Section 42501, fur dealer's license.

 

27        (xxvi) Section 42702, game dealer's license.


 

 1        (xxvii) Section 44513, charter boat operating permit under

 

 2  reciprocal agreement.

 

 3        (xxviii) Section 44517, 44516, boat livery operating permit.

 

 4        (xxix) Section 45503, permit to take frogs for scientific

 

 5  use.

 

 6        (xxx) Section 45902, game fish propagation license.

 

 7        (xxxi) Section 45906, game fish import license.

 

 8        (xxxii) Section 61525, oil or gas well drilling permit.

 

 9        (xxxiii) Section 62509, brine, storage, or waste disposal well

 

10  drilling or conversion permit or test well drilling permit.

 

11        (xxxiv) Section 63103a, ferrous mineral mining permit.

 

12        (xxxv) Section 63514 or 63525, surface coal mining and

 

13  reclamation permit or revision of the permit, respectively.

 

14        (xxxvi) Section 63704, sand dune mining permit.

 

15        (xxxvii) Section 72108, use permits for Michigan trailway.

 

16        (xxxviii) Section 76109, sunken aircraft or watercraft

 

17  abandoned property recovery permit.

 

18        (xxxix) Section 76504, Mackinac Island motor vehicle and land

 

19  use permits.

 

20        (xxxx) Section 80159, buoy or beacon permit.

 

21        (e) "Processing deadline" means the last day of the

 

22  processing period.

 

23        (f) "Processing period" means the following time period

 

24  after the close of the application period, for the following

 

25  permit, as applicable:

 

26        (i) Twenty days for a permit under section 61525 or 62509.

 

27        (ii) Thirty days for a permit under section 9112 or 44516.


 

 1        (iii) Thirty days after the department consults with the

 

 2  underwater salvage and preserve committee created under section

 

 3  76103, for a permit under section 76109.

 

 4        (iv) Sixty days, for a permit under section 30104 for a minor

 

 5  project as established by rule under section 30105(7) or for a

 

 6  permit under section 32312.

 

 7        (v) Sixty days or, if a hearing is held, 90 days for a

 

 8  permit under section 35304.

 

 9        (vi) Sixty days or, if a hearing is held, 120 days for a

 

10  permit under section 30104, other than a permit for a minor

 

11  project as established by rule under section 30105(7), or for a

 

12  permit under section 31509.

 

13        (vii) Ninety days for a permit under section 11512, a

 

14  revision of a surface coal mining and reclamation permit under

 

15  section 63525, or a permit under section 72108.

 

16        (viii) Ninety days or, if a hearing is held, 150 days for a

 

17  permit under section 3104, 30304, or 32503 or an authorization

 

18  for a specific project to proceed under a general permit issued

 

19  under section 30312.

 

20        (ix) Ninety days after the close of the review or comment

 

21  period under section 32604, or if a public hearing is held, 90

 

22  days after the date of the public hearing for a permit under

 

23  section 32603.

 

24        (x) One hundred twenty days for a permit under section

 

25  11509, 11542, 63103a, 63514, or 63704.

 

26        (xi) One hundred fifty days for a permit under section 36505.

 

27  However, if a site inspection or federal approval is required,


 

 1  the 150-day period is tolled pending completion of the inspection

 

 2  or receipt of the federal approval.

 

 3        (xii) For any other permit, 150 days or, if a hearing is

 

 4  held, 90 days after the hearing, whichever is later.

 

 5        Sec. 2035. (1) The waterways account is established as an

 

 6  account within the legacy fund.

 

 7        (2) The waterways account shall consist of both of the

 

 8  following:

 

 9        (a) All money in the Michigan state waterways fund, formerly

 

10  created in section 78110, the Michigan harbor development fund,

 

11  formerly created in section 78110, and the marine safety fund,

 

12  formerly created in section 80115, immediately prior to the

 

13  effective date of the amendatory act that added this section,

 

14  which money is hereby transferred to the waterways account.

 

15        (b) Revenue from the following sources:

 

16        (i) All revenue generated from watercraft registration fees

 

17  assessed on the ownership or operation of watercraft in the

 

18  state, of which not less than 49% shall be provided for law

 

19  enforcement and education.

 

20        (ii) All revenues derived from fees charged for the moorage

 

21  of watercraft at state-operated mooring facilities.

 

22        (iii) All revenues derived from fees charged for the use of

 

23  state-operated public access sites.

 

24        (iv) Transfers from the recreation improvement account.

 

25        (v) All tax revenue derived from the sale of diesel fuel in

 

26  this state that is used to generate power for the operation or

 

27  propulsion of vessels on the waterways of this state.


 

 1        (vi) Other revenues as authorized by law.

 

 2        (3) Money in the waterways account shall be expended, upon

 

 3  appropriation, only as provided in parts 445, 781, 791, and 801

 

 4  and for the administration of the waterways account, which may

 

 5  include payments in lieu of taxes on state owned lands purchased

 

 6  through the waterways account or through the former Michigan

 

 7  state waterways fund.

 

 8        Sec. 44501. As used in this part:

 

 9        (a) "Boat livery" means either of the following:

 

10        (i) A a place of business or any location where a person

 

11  rents or leases offers for rent any vessel other than a

 

12  nonmotorized raft to the general public for noncommercial use on

 

13  the waters of this state.

 

14        (ii) A Boat livery does not include a place where a person

 

15  offers cabins, cottages, motel rooms, hotel rooms, or other

 

16  similar rental or leased units where a vessel is if vessels are

 

17  furnished only for the use of the person renting or leasing the

 

18  unit, but does not include a single privately owned cabin or

 

19  cottage leased or rented to another where a vessel is furnished

 

20  for the use of the person renting or leasing the unit.persons

 

21  occupying the units.

 

22        (b) "Carrying passengers for hire" or "carry passengers for

 

23  hire" means the transporting of any person individual on a vessel

 

24  other than a nonmotorized raft for consideration regardless of

 

25  whether the consideration is directly or indirectly paid to the

 

26  owner of the vessel, the owner's agent, the operator of the

 

27  vessel, or any other person who holds any interest in the vessel.


 

 1        (c) "Charter boat" means a vessel other than a nonmotorized

 

 2  raft that is rented or leased or offered for rent or lease to

 

 3  carry passengers for hire if the owner or the owner's agent

 

 4  retains possession, command, and control of the vessel.

 

 5        (d) "Class A vessel" means a vessel, except a sailboat, that

 

 6  carries for hire on navigable waters not more than 6 passengers.

 

 7        (e) "Class B vessel" means a vessel, except a sailboat, that

 

 8  carries for hire on inland waters not more than 6 passengers.

 

 9        (f) "Class C vessel" means a vessel, except a sailboat, that

 

10  carries for hire on inland waters more than 6 passengers.

 

11        (g) "Class D vessel" means a vessel that is propelled

 

12  primarily by a sail or sails and carries for hire on navigable

 

13  waters not more than 6 passengers or carries passengers for hire

 

14  on inland waters.

 

15        (h) "Class E vessel" means a vessel that carries not more

 

16  than 6 passengers for hire and meets either of the following

 

17  requirements:

 

18        (i) Is utilized primarily as a river-drift boat that is

 

19  propelled primarily by hand.

 

20        (ii) Is a vessel that is 18 feet or less in length operated

 

21  primarily on a river or tributary to the Great Lakes, Lake St.

 

22  Clair, or their connecting waterways.

 

23        (i) "Equipment" means a system, part, or component of a

 

24  vessel as originally manufactured, or a system, part, or

 

25  component manufactured or sold for replacement, repair, or

 

26  improvement of a system, part, or component of a vessel; an

 

27  accessory or equipment for, or appurtenance to, a vessel; or a


 

 1  marine safety article, accessory, or equipment intended for use

 

 2  by a person an individual on board a vessel; but does not include

 

 3  radio equipment.

 

 4        (j) "Inland waters" means all waters of this state, except

 

 5  navigable waters.

 

 6        (k) "Livery boat" means a vessel, which other than a

 

 7  nonmotorized raft, that is rented or offered for rent or lease by

 

 8  the boat livery or boat owner or his or her agent or is rented or

 

 9  leased from by a boat livery or a boat owner or his or her agent

 

10  and if the boat livery or boat owner or his or her agent

 

11  relinquishes or offers to relinquish complete physical control of

 

12  the vessel to the renter or lessee, except the boat livery or

 

13  owner retains while retaining legal title to the vessel.

 

14        (l) "Navigable waters" means those waters of the state over

 

15  which this state and the United States coast guard exercise

 

16  concurrent jurisdiction, including the Great Lakes and waters

 

17  connected to the Great Lakes, to the upstream limit of navigation

 

18  as determined by the United States department of the army corps

 

19  of engineers.

 

20        (m) "Navigable waters livery boat" means a livery boat that

 

21  is more than 20 feet in length and is rented or offered for rent

 

22  for use on navigable waters.

 

23        (n) (m) "Operate", when used with reference to a vessel,

 

24  means to start any propulsion engine or to physically control the

 

25  motion, direction, or speed of a the vessel.

 

26        (o) (n) "Owner", when used in reference to a vessel, means a

 

27  person who claims lawful possession of a the vessel by virtue of


 

 1  legal title or an equitable interest in a vessel that entitles

 

 2  that person to possession of the vessel.

 

 3        (p) (o) "Passenger" means a person an individual carried on

 

 4  board a charter boat except either of the following:

 

 5        (i) The owner of the vessel or the owner's agent.

 

 6        (ii) The pilot and members of the crew of the vessel who have

 

 7  not contributed consideration for their transportation either

 

 8  before, during, or after the voyage.

 

 9        (q) (p) "Peace officer" means every a sheriff or sheriff's

 

10  deputy; village or township marshal; officer of the police

 

11  department of any city, village, or township; any officer of the

 

12  Michigan state police; or any other police officer or law

 

13  enforcement officer who is trained and certified pursuant to the

 

14  commission on law enforcement standards act, 1965 PA 203, MCL

 

15  28.601 to 28.616, and includes the director and conservation

 

16  officers employed by the department.

 

17        (r) (q) "Personal watercraft" means a vessel that meets all

 

18  of the following requirements:

 

19        (i) Uses a motor-driven propeller or an internal combustion

 

20  engine powering a water jet pump as its primary source of

 

21  propulsion.

 

22        (ii) Is designed without an open load carrying area that

 

23  would retain water.

 

24        (iii) Is designed to be operated by 1 or more persons

 

25  individuals positioned on, rather than within, the confines of

 

26  the hull.

 

27        (s) (r) "Pilot's license" means a vessel operator's license


 

 1  issued by the United States coast guard or other federal agency,

 

 2  or a license issued by the department to an operator of a charter

 

 3  boat that is operated on inland waters.

 

 4        (t) (s) "Training or instructional purposes" means the

 

 5  teaching of any person individual in the handling and navigation

 

 6  of a vessel or the techniques of waterskiing.

 

 7        (u) (t) "Vessel" means every description of watercraft,

 

 8  other than a seaplane, used or capable of being used as a means

 

 9  of transportation on water irrespective of the method of

 

10  operation or propulsion.

 

11        (v) (u) "Waters of the state" means any waters within the

 

12  territorial limits of this state and includes those waters of the

 

13  Great Lakes which are under the jurisdiction of this state.

 

14        (w) (v) "Waterways account" means the waterways account of

 

15  the Michigan conservation and recreation legacy fund provided for

 

16  in section 2035.

 

17        Sec. 44511. (1) The owner of a charter boat required to be

 

18  inspected under this part and a person required to be licensed as

 

19  a state pilot under this part shall file an application with the

 

20  required fee for the charter boat inspection or the state pilot's

 

21  examination with the department on a form prescribed and

 

22  furnished by the department. Persons applying for a certificate

 

23  of inspection or a state pilot's license shall furnish

 

24  information reasonably required by the department. A person shall

 

25  not file an application for charter boat inspection or state

 

26  pilot's examination that contains false information. A person

 

27  filing an application shall certify by the person's signature


 

 1  that the information furnished on the application is true and

 

 2  correct.

 

 3        (2) The owner of If a charter boat , or livery boat as

 

 4  provided for under section 44517, which has never been inspected,

 

 5  the owner shall pay to the department an inspection fee for dry

 

 6  dock and dockside inspection according to the following schedule:

 

 

     (a) Class A and D vessels.......................  $250.00

     (b) Class B vessels.............................  $120.00

     (c) Class C vessels.............................  $350.00

 

 

10        (3) Beginning on April 1, 1987, for For each required dry

 

11  dock or dockside inspection of a charter boat , or livery boat as

 

12  provided for under section 44517, other than an inspection under

 

13  subsection (2), the owner shall pay the department a fee

 

14  according to the following schedule:

 

 

15       (a)   Class A and D vessels

16       (i)    Dockside inspection......................  $100.00

17       (ii)    Dry dock inspection......................  $150.00

18       (b)   Class B vessels

19       (i)    Dockside inspection......................  $ 60.00

20       (ii)    Dry dock inspection......................  $ 60.00

21       (c)   Class C vessels

22       (i)    Dockside inspection......................  $150.00

23       (ii)    Dry dock inspection......................  $200.00

 

 

24        (4) When If the department inspects any charter boat , or

 

25  livery boat as provided for under section 44517, at an interval

 


 1  other than as required by this part, the inspection shall be

 

 2  conducted without an inspection fee for a dockside inspection and

 

 3  for a reduced fee to be determined by the department for a dry

 

 4  dock inspection. When If a 24-month dockside inspection and a 72-

 

 5  month dry dock inspection are required in the same year, the

 

 6  owner shall only pay the fee for the dry dock inspection, as

 

 7  provided in subsection (3).

 

 8        (5) For each examination of a person for a state pilot's

 

 9  license, the applicant shall pay a fee of $30.00 to the

 

10  department.

 

11        (6) The charter boat inspection fee or state pilot's license

 

12  examination fee shall be forfeited to the department and credited

 

13  to the marine safety fund subaccount of the waterways account if

 

14  the owner of the charter boat or the applicant for a state

 

15  pilot's license fails to keep an appointment, which has been

 

16  mutually agreed upon between the owner or the applicant and the

 

17  department, for an inspection or reinspection of the charter boat

 

18  or a state pilot's license examination, without first notifying

 

19  the inspecting officer or the department's marine safety section

 

20  within the department's law enforcement division at least 24

 

21  hours prior to the scheduled appointment. Upon the forfeiture of

 

22  an application fee, the owner of the charter boat or the

 

23  applicant for a state pilot's license must shall submit a new

 

24  application and the required fee before the department shall

 

25  conduct conducts any inspection of the charter boat or conduct

 

26  conducts any examination of the applicant for a state pilot's

 

27  license.

 


 1        (7) Except as otherwise provided in section 44517, the The

 

 2  revenue received for inspection fees under this section shall be

 

 3  deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the marine

 

 4  safety subaccount of the waterways account and shall only be used

 

 5  to pay for inspections required by this part, and to maintain the

 

 6  education and enforcement program provided for in section

 

 7  44513(2). The revenue division of the department of treasury

 

 8  shall annually provide to the department an accurate total of

 

 9  revenue collected and shall annually credit that amount to the

 

10  marine safety subaccount of the waterways account.

 

11        Sec. 44516. (1) The owner of a boat livery shall make an

 

12  application to the sheriff of the county in which the livery is

 

13  located for inspection of its livery boats and equipment. A boat

 

14  livery shall not rent a motorized livery boat unless the livery

 

15  boat has a current annual inspection decal, plate, or tab as

 

16  provided under section 44518.

 

17        (2) Regardless of whether the livery boats are motorized or

 

18  nonmotorized, a person shall not operate a boat livery except as

 

19  authorized by a permit issued pursuant to part 13. Subject to

 

20  subsection (7), the owner of a boat livery shall submit an

 

21  application for a boat livery permit to the sheriff's department

 

22  of the county where the boat livery is located. The application

 

23  shall be made on a form provided by the department and for a boat

 

24  livery permit shall include all of the following:

 

25        (a) The boat livery name.

 

26        (b) The mailing address of the boat livery.

 

27        (c) The location of the boat livery.

 


 1        (d) The waters of the state on which the boat livery rents

 

 2  vessels.

 

 3        (e) The number and types of livery boats available for rent,

 

 4  including whether the boats are motorized.

 

 5        (3) An application for a boat livery permit shall be

 

 6  accompanied by an inspection fee of $100.00 for each navigable

 

 7  waters livery boat that the boat livery rents or offers to rent. 

 

 8  A fee collected under this subsection shall be forwarded to the

 

 9  department of treasury to be credited to the marine safety

 

10  subaccount of the waterways account.  An inspection of a

 

11  navigable waters livery boat shall be a comprehensive dockside

 

12  inspection.

 

13        (4) After a sheriff's department receives an application for

 

14  a boat livery permit, if the boat livery rents or offers for rent

 

15  1 or more motorized livery boats, the county sheriff or a deputy

 

16  sheriff shall inspect the motorized livery boats and associated

 

17  equipment to determine if they meet the minimum safety standards

 

18  established under rules promulgated under this part.

 

19        (5) A boat livery permit shall be issued if any of the

 

20  following apply:

 

21        (a) One or more motorized livery boats and their associated

 

22  equipment pass inspection under subsection (4).

 

23        (b) The boat livery rents or offers for rent 1 or more

 

24  nonmotorized livery boats.

 

25        (6) A boat livery owner shall ensure that a boat livery

 

26  permit issued under subsection (5) is prominently displayed on

 

27  the site of the boat livery. The permit expires on May 31 of the

 


 1  year following the year in which the permit is issued.

 

 2        (7) The department and a conservation officer shall exercise

 

 3  the powers and perform the duties of the county sheriff's

 

 4  department and a sheriff or deputy sheriff under this section and

 

 5  section 44518 under any of the following circumstances:

 

 6        (a) If the county does not receive state aid under section

 

 7  80117 to conduct a marine safety program.

 

 8        (b) If the boat livery rents or offers to rent a navigable

 

 9  waters livery boat.

 

10        (8) The department of natural resources shall furnish boat

 

11  livery permit application forms, blank boat livery permits,

 

12  registration decals, and inspection decals, plates, or tabs to

 

13  the sheriff's department.

 

14        Sec. 44518. (1) An inspecting officer, designated by the

 

15  department, The sheriff of the county where a boat livery is

 

16  located or a deputy sheriff shall affix or cause to be affixed an

 

17  inspection decal, plate, or tab to each and every motorized

 

18  livery boat that meets the minimum safety standards established

 

19  under rules promulgated under this part an passes the inspection

 

20  under section 44516.

 

21        (2) An inspection decal, plate, or tab furnished by the

 

22  department which bears under subsection (1) expires on May 31 of

 

23  the year following the year in which the decal, plate, or tab is

 

24  issued. The inspection decal, plate, or tab shall bear all of the

 

25  following information:

 

26        (a) The maximum number of persons permitted to be carried

 

27  aboard the vessel.motorized livery boat.

 


 1        (b) The maximum horsepower of a motor permitted to be used

 

 2  on the vessel.motorized livery boat.

 

 3        (c) Other information as the department may reasonably

 

 4  require.

 

 5        (3) (2) Each A boat livery owner shall pay a fee of $2.00 to

 

 6  the inspecting officer sheriff or deputy sheriff a fee of $2.00

 

 7  for each decal, plate, or tab affixed to the livery boats. The

 

 8  inspecting officer shall forward all fees collected under this

 

 9  subsection under subsection (1) to a motorized livery boat other

 

10  than a navigable waters livery boat. Fees collected under this

 

11  subsection shall be forwarded as follows:

 

12        (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), to the treasurer

 

13  of the county in which the fee is collected to be credited for

 

14  the purpose of reimbursing the sheriff's department for expenses

 

15  incurred pursuant to under this part. If the inspecting officer

 

16  is a conservation officer, fees collected under this section

 

17  shall be forwarded

 

18        (b) If, pursuant to section 44516(7), a conservation officer

 

19  performs the inspection, to the department of treasury to be

 

20  credited to the marine safety subaccount of the waterways

 

21  account.

 

22        Sec. 44520. (1) The owner of a boat livery shall not rent or

 

23  lease a livery boat more than 20 feet in length to be used on

 

24  navigable water until except pursuant to a written rental

 

25  contract or lease agreement has been made between the boat livery

 

26  owner and the renter. or lessee.

 

27        (2) A boat livery owner or his or her designated

 


 1  representative or agent of the owner shall not permit a livery

 

 2  boat to depart the premises of the boat livery if:relinquish

 

 3  physical control of any livery boat to the person renting the

 

 4  livery boat or someone in that person's party if any of the

 

 5  following apply:

 

 6        (a) The equipment required pursuant to rules promulgated

 

 7  under this part is not aboard the livery boat.

 

 8        (b) The livery boat contains a number of persons individuals

 

 9  in excess of the maximum number approved for the livery boat and

 

10  indicated on the inspection decal, plate, or tab affixed to the

 

11  livery boat.required to be displayed under subsection (4).

 

12        (c) The livery boat is equipped with a motor with a

 

13  horsepower rating in excess of the maximum horsepower approved

 

14  for the livery boat and indicated on the inspection decal, plate,

 

15  or tab affixed to the livery boat.

 

16        (3) The individual renting a livery boat, or an individual

 

17  in the renter's party, is not responsible for a violation of a

 

18  rule described in subsection (2)(a) if the livery boat or

 

19  equipment was in violation when the owner relinquished possession

 

20  of the livery boat to the renter or the individual in the

 

21  renter's party.

 

22        (4) A livery boat shall display the maximum number of

 

23  persons and maximum weight of persons, gear, and other items the

 

24  livery boat is capable of safely carrying under normal

 

25  conditions. The information may be displayed on the inspection

 

26  decal, plate, or tab required for a motorized livery boat; on a

 

27  manufacturer's plate, decal, plate, or tab; or by other means.

 


 1        Sec. 44520a. (1) An owner of a nonmotorized livery boat is

 

 2  not liable for an injury to or the death of a user of the

 

 3  nonmotorized livery boat resulting from a risk inherent in the

 

 4  use or operation of a nonmotorized livery boat.

 

 5        (2) An owner of a nonmotorized livery boat shall post in

 

 6  conspicuous locations a notice specifying that a user of the

 

 7  nonmotorized livery boat accepts the risk inherent in the use or

 

 8  operation of a nonmotorized livery boat.

 

 9        (3) As used in this section:

 

10        (a) "Owner of a nonmotorized livery boat" means the person

 

11  who owns the nonmotorized livery boat, the boat livery that rents

 

12  , leases, or furnishes the nonmotorized livery boat for use, or

 

13  an employee or agent of the owner or boat livery.

 

14        (b) "Risk inherent in the use or operation of a nonmotorized

 

15  livery boat" means a danger or condition that is an integral part

 

16  of the use or operation of a nonmotorized livery boat that and is

 

17  limited to 1 or more of the following:

 

18        (i) Wave or other water motion.

 

19        (ii) Weather conditions.

 

20        (iii) Contact or maneuvers necessary to avoid contact with

 

21  another vessel or a manmade object in or near the water.

 

22        (iv) Contact or maneuvers necessary to avoid contact with

 

23  rock, sand, vegetation, or other natural objects in or near the

 

24  water.

 

25        (v) Malfunction of equipment, except for equipment owned by

 

26  the owner of a nonmotorized livery boat.

 

27        (vi) Failure to use or wear a personal flotation device or to

 


 1  have lifesaving equipment available, except if the owner of a

 

 2  nonmotorized livery boat failed to provide the personal flotation

 

 3  device or lifesaving equipment when required by law or regulation

 

 4  to do so.

 

 5        (vii) The actions of a vessel operator, except if the owner

 

 6  of a nonmotorized livery boat leased or rented the livery boat to

 

 7  an operator who the owner knew or in the exercise of reasonable

 

 8  care should have known was disqualified by law or regulation from

 

 9  operating the livery boat.

 

10        (viii) Having on board a number of persons in excess of or

 

11  weight of persons, gear, and other items that exceeds the maximum

 

12  number approved for the livery boat, on board, except if in any

 

13  of the following circumstances:

 

14        (A) If the owner of a nonmotorized livery boat knowingly

 

15  allowed the livery boat to leave the boat livery's premises with

 

16  a number of persons in excess of the maximum weight or number or

 

17  weight of persons, gear, and other items on board that exceeds

 

18  the maximum approved for the livery boat on board or did not

 

19  properly inform the user of the maximum weight or number of

 

20  persons approved for the livery boat.

 

21        (B) If a nonmotorized livery boat did not display the

 

22  maximum number of persons or maximum weight of persons, gear, or

 

23  other items permitted to be carried on board as required under

 

24  section 44520 when the boat livery owner relinquished physical

 

25  control of the livery boat to the renter or an individual in the

 

26  renter's party.

 

27        (c) "User of the nonmotorized livery boat" means a person an

 


House Bill No. 5164 (H-2) as amended May 10, 2012

 1  individual who participates in the use or operation of the

 

 2  nonmotorized livery boat regardless of whether the person

 

 3  individual rented or leased the nonmotorized livery boat.

 

 4        Sec. 44522a. In addition to inspections conducted for

 

 5  purposes of section 44516 or under section 80166, a peace officer

 

 6  may inspect any livery boat at a boat livery. The peace officer

 

 7  shall give the owner of the boat livery at least 72 hours'

 

 8  advance notice of an inspection under this section and shall

 

 9  conduct the inspection at a reasonable time.

 

10        Sec. 44524. (1) A person who violates this part or a rule

 

11  promulgated under this part is guilty of a misdemeanor ,

 

12  punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year , or a fine

 

13  of not more than $1,000.00, or both.

 

14        (2) When a vessel is operated in violation of section 44502,

 

15  44509, or 44514, 44516(1) or (2), the vessel may be seized as

 

16  evidence, and upon conviction of the owner, the vessel may be

 

17  condemned and confiscated in the same manner as provided for

 

18  under part 16.

 

19        (3) A peace officer may issue an appearance ticket to any

 

20  person violating this part or a rule promulgated under this part.

 

21        Enacting section 1. Sections 44514 and 44517 of the natural

 

22  resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL

 

23  324.44514 and 324.44517, are repealed.

 

24        Enacting section 2. This amendatory act takes effect [June 1, 2012

 

25          ].