Connecticut HB 5332: AN ACT CONCERNING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

Bill Text

Substitute House Bill No. 5332

Public Act No. 26-60

AN ACT CONCERNING CERTAIN BOATING REGULATIONS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 15-133 of the 2026 supplement to the general
statutes is amended by adding subsection (m) as follows (Effective from
passage):
(NEW) (m) No operator shall allow any person aboard a recreational
motorboat under power to sit on the gunwale with one or both legs over
the outside of the gunwale, or to stand on the gunwale while such vessel
is underway at greater than slow-no-wake speed.
Sec. 2. Subsection (b) of section 15-140j of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from
passage):
(b) No person shall operate a personal watercraft or a JAV unless such
person has been issued a certificate of personal watercraft operation by
the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection. No person
less than sixteen years of age shall operate a JAV. No owner of a
personal watercraft or a JAV shall knowingly authorize or permit a
person who [is less than sixteen years of age who] does not have a
certificate of personal watercraft operation issued by the commissioner

Substitute House Bill No. 5332

Public Act No. 26-60 2 of 4

to operate such personal watercraft or JAV on the waters of the state.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the commissioner may
modify or suspend, by written permission, any age or certification
requirement set forth in this section for the purpose of a marine event
held pursuant to section 15-140b. In those waters where the United
States Coast Guard has jurisdiction over marine events, such permit
shall not be valid unless and until the commissioner receives a copy of
the United States Coast Guard authorization for a marine event.
Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective from passage) No owner shall allow a vessel to
be placed on the waters of the state unless current and valid contact
information for the owner of such vessel is legibly printed on such vessel
or attached to such vessel, as prescribed by the Department of Energy
and Environmental Protection, except any vessel for which the owner
holds a valid and effective certificate of number awarded by the state,
another state or the federal government.
Sec. 4. Section 15-136b of the 2026 supplement to the general statutes
is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from
passage):
[Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, the period of
time for operation of motorboats on Wyassup Lake, in the town of North
Stonington, shall be from the Saturday prior to Memorial Day to
September fifteenth.] (a) For the period commencing on the Saturday
prior to Memorial Day to the fifteenth day of September of each year,
between the hours of eleven o'clock in the morning and six o'clock in the
evening, motorboats may be operated on Wyassup Lake, in the town of
North Stonington, at speeds in excess of eight miles per hour and
persons may waterski or operate a vessel towing a water skier.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section,
no person shall waterski or operate a vessel towing a water skier
between the islands and the east shore of Wyassup Lake in the town of

Substitute House Bill No. 5332

Public Act No. 26-60 3 of 4

North Stonington.
Sec. 5. Subsection (d) of section 15-140c of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from
passage):
(d) Any party with standing may seek full cost recovery from the
person who abandoned the vessel for any unpaid expense or cost
incurred as a result of, or incidental to, such vessel abandonment. Any
party with standing that is a state or municipal law enforcement agency
may additionally recover any associated environmental remediation
costs or expenses and any expense or cost associated with, or incidental
to, the removal of such vessel, including, but not limited to, any legal or
court cost or expense incurred in the recovery and removal of such
abandoned vessel. Any person who acts in good faith and without
malicious intent in the processing, storage or movement of any
abandoned vessel pursuant to this section shall be immune from civil
liability for damage to such vessel.
Sec. 6. Subdivision (1) of subsection (h) of section 15-140c of the
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu
thereof (Effective from passage):
(1) (A) The party with standing shall file a notarized notice of
abandoned vessel with the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental
Protection in person, by mail, by paid delivery service or electronically,
as prescribed by the commissioner. Such filing shall be on forms as
prescribed by the commissioner. The fee for filing such notice shall be
twenty dollars.
(B) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (A) of this
subdivision, any such notarization and filing fee shall not be required of
any party with stan