Introduced in Senate — S. 3985

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3985

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 4, 2026

Mr. Crapo (for himself and Mr. Welch) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

A BILL

To allow States to require payment of State fees related to boating as a condition for issuance of a vessel number and to collect such fees in conjunction with other fees related to vessel numbering.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

Section 1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the State Boating Act.

Sec. 2. Collection of state fees related to boating

Section 12307 of title 46, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in the matter preceding paragraph (1)—

(A)

by striking The authority and inserting (a) In general.—The authority; and

(B)

by striking that are— and inserting that—;

(2)

in paragraph (1)—

(A)

by inserting are before prescribed; and

(B)

by striking ; or and inserting a semicolon;

(3)

in paragraph (2)—

(A)

by inserting are before related; and

(B)

by striking the period and inserting ; or; and

(4)

by adding at the end the following:

(3)
require the payment of State fees related to boating, which may include fees for search and rescue operations, boating safety measures, or efforts to address aquatic invasive species.
(b) State fees related to boating
A State issuing authority may collect a fee described in subsection (a)(3) in conjunction with the collection of any other fee established under this section.
(c) Use of fees
Fees collected by States under the authority of this section may only be used to fund activities directly related to improving recreational boating, boater safety, boater access, use of waterways by recreational boaters, and aquatic invasive species mitigation.