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Delegate Arndt seeks to expand abandoned-boat law to cover moored and anchored vessels
Summary
Delegate Arndt told the Environment and Transportation Committee the bill would extend existing state abandoned-boat law to boats tied to moorings, aiming to speed removal of vessels that are left on mooring poles and sometimes sink. Delegate Jacobs described a recent case in Rock Hall where a vessel sank after months of inaction.
Delegate Arndt told the Environment and Transportation Committee the bill would expand the state’s abandoned-boat law to cover boats that are moored or anchored in state waters and require permission of the mooring owner or person in control of the mooring apparatus.
The measure targets boats left tied to mooring poles rather than boats at marinas or on private property, Arndt said. "There's 10 different boats on various mooring poles," Arndt said, describing Goodhans Creek and showing photographs to committee members. "You can see 3 of them on 1 pole. ... Folks end up with a boat, really can't afford a marina or even put in their own mooring, so then they get left abandoned."
Why it matters: supporters said the change would give the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) clearer authority to act sooner when moored vessels become hazards, break loose or sink. Arndt told the panel the existing law is "pretty good" for marinas and property but does not clearly address moorings that create recurring problems.
Delegate Jacobs questioned whether DNR had been consulted and described a case in Rock Hall where a 36-foot Chris-Craft sat at a county bulkhead from July until December and ultimately sank. "DNR came down at one point a couple months prior to that and put a notice on the window," Jacobs said. "It was allowed to sink right there at the county bulkhead ... something's gotta change in this system." Arndt said staff met with DNR before filing the bill but had not received all requested follow-up information because of scheduling and other issues.
Discussion versus action: the committee heard the sponsor presentation and questions from lawmakers; the transcript shows the hearing concluded without an immediate vote. The DNR's specific positions or requested statutory language returned to the committee were not recorded in the transcript excerpt.
Ending: The hearing on the bill concluded and the committee moved on to the next agenda item. No formal vote on this bill is recorded in the provided transcript excerpt.
