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Committee approves boat‑titling bill to curb theft and abandoned craft
Summary
Senate Bill 18‑08 would require titling for boats in Tennessee to create clearer ownership records, deter theft and fund removal of abandoned boats; committee adopted amendments and voted 8–1 to advance the bill to finance.
Senator Hatcher told the committee the bill would mirror vehicle titling processes for boats, creating a clear chain of ownership to protect buyers and make it harder to traffic stolen boats. He said Tennessee ranks among the top 10 states for stolen boats and cited abandoned boats in his district as a driver of the proposal.
The legislation would charge a fee (described in committee as part of the bill language) with a portion going to clerks and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency’s abandoned‑boat fund to assist removal. The amendments were rolled into the bill, committee members spoke in support and the measure passed 8–1 to be forwarded to finance/ways and means.
