Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Derelict Vessels topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee advances bill to strengthen penalties, procedures for derelict vessels
Summary
Lawmakers approved a bill to give the Department of Natural Resources more tools to identify and remove abandoned boats from coastal and inland waters; sponsors said the measure includes notice, tagging and appeals similar to automobile enforcement.
The Senate Natural Resources and the Environment Committee advanced a bill to give the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) additional authority to address derelict and abandoned vessels in coastal and inland Georgia waters.
Committee members and the bill sponsor said abandoned vessels are a public‑safety and navigation hazard and that Georgia currently lacks adequate tools to hold owners accountable. DNR representatives and former DNR director Bud (Spud) Woodward were present in committee to discuss the problem and the bill’s provisions.
In committee testimony the sponsor described a process modeled after motor‑vehicle enforcement: vessels would be tagged, the owner given notice, and there would be a public‑notice and appeal process before removal. The sponsor said the bill would allow the state to pursue owners in ways that are not possible under current law and that the measure had been developed in coordination with DNR.
A motion to do pass was made and seconded; the chair called for a vote and the committee chair reported the bill “carries.” Senator Steele was named in committee remarks as willing to carry the measure in the Senate. The transcript records the committee’s verbal approval but does not include a roll‑call tally.
