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Committee hears testimony on consolidating boating safety courses; liveries warn of business burden
Summary
HB 54 would consolidate required boater and invasive-species training into a shorter annual course; agency staff and safety advocates supported education, while boat rental operators warned mandatory annual online tests for renters would hurt business and urged livery exemptions or in-person checkout options.
Representative Peterson presented House Bill 54 to consolidate existing boating-safety and quagga‑mussel education into a single, shorter course (the bill sponsor indicated a 20‑minute target). "We’re going to put these two courses together and shrink this down," Peterson said, explaining the goal is to focus on the core safety topics: life‑jacket use, alcohol, and speed/proximity.
Ty Hunter, boating program manager for the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, testified that education matters and that Utah currently lacks an adult mandatory boating-safety course; Hunter said last year most boating fatalities involved not wearing life jackets and urged more public education. Several boat-rental operators urged exemptions or options for liveries so that in‑person checkout procedures could satisfy the law without requiring every renter to complete an online course before boarding—operators said annual online requirements would create long lines and deter customers at high-traffic lakes.
Other stakeholders (OHV advocates, agency law enforcement) supported education but questioned annual timing and suggested multi‑year periodicity for later adjustments. Committee members asked for data on效果 and agreed to continue stakeholder work; the chair moved to the next agenda item after public comment.
