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Committee hears technical fix to allow online boater safety course; marine patrol urges proctored exam
Summary
Senate Bill 40 would correct language from prior legislation to permit an online boater safety education certificate; proponents said the change would restore online enrollment revenue to the state, while marine patrol staff cautioned that unproctored online exams yield higher pass rates and lower per-student safety screening.
Senate Transportation took testimony on Senate Bill 40, a technical amendment to prior law that would enable an online option for the boater safety education certificate and fix language the Department of Safety said it could not implement from earlier legislation.
Senator Tim Lang, sponsor, said the bill is a mechanical correction to restore an online pathway that was used during COVID and generated significantly more revenue for the state. Lang said the state took in “over $600,000” during the COVID period when online exams were permitted, compared with roughly $82,000 after returning to in-person testing.
Tom Prasal, representing Kaukami Enterprises (a vendor that administers boating exams in multiple states), said the bill keeps an in-person proctored exam requirement for those under 18 and allows online exams for others. He told the committee that vendor-collected fees during the pandemic remitted larger sums to the state and that vendors are willing to work with the department on fee splits. Prasal also pointed lawmakers to RSA 270-d:17 as the statutory destination of boating-related revenues (Navigation Safety Fund).
Tim Dunleavy, a retired Marine Patrol captain now working as a program specialist for New Hampshire Marine Patrol, testified as neutral but urged caution. Dunleavy said New Hampshire’s boating program historically used proctored classroom exams in part because proctored tests yield lower immediate pass rates and give instructors the ability to verify the test-taker and review missed items. He said classroom-taught participants average scores in the mid-90s, while online-taught students who took unproctored exams during COVID produced higher pass percentages with lower average test scores; the Marine Patrol’s data showed classroom averages about 94% versus approximately 84% when some online proctored models were used in COVID-era adaptations.
Jody Grembelis of the New Hampshire Marine Trades Association supported the bill as a way to ensure New Hampshire receives boating-education revenue rather than out-of-state vendors and emphasized the importance of New Hampshire-specific law and safety practices.
Committee members asked about proctoring, revenue flows and the Navigation Safety Fund. No committee vote was recorded during the hearing; staff and vendors said they would continue to work with the department to align proctoring, vendor controls and fee remittance.
