Pennsylvania SB 845: An Act amending Title 30 (Fish) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in preliminary provisions, providing for prevention of electric shock, electrocution or injuries to users of marinas and docks.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 932
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 845
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY COSTA, BARTOLOTTA, HAYWOOD, MILLER, SCHWANK,
MASTRIANO, VOGEL, TARTAGLIONE, COMITTA, ARGALL, HUGHES,
FONTANA, KEARNEY, PISCIOTTANO, SAVAL, CAPPELLETTI, MALONE AND
L. WILLIAMS, JUNE 9, 2025
REFERRED TO GAME AND FISHERIES, JUNE 9, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 30 (Fish) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, in preliminary provisions, providing for prevention
of electric shock, electrocution or injuries to users of
marinas and docks.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 30 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 5127. Prevention of electric shock, electrocution or injuries
to users of marinas and docks.
(a) Compliance.--All boat dock operators and marina
operators shall comply with the following requirements to aid in
preventing electric shock, electrocution or injury to the users
of the facilities and the surrounding areas of a boat dock or
marina:
(1) Any main overcurrent protective device, installed or
replaced on or after July 1, 2025, that feeds a marina shall
have ground-fault protection not exceeding 100 milliamperes.
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Ground-fault protection not exceeding 100 milliamperes of
each individual branch or feeder circuit shall be permitted
as a suitable alternative. Each marina operator may determine
the devices that the marina will utilize to achieve the 100-
milliamperes limit that is required by this paragraph,
including, but not limited to, the use of equipment leakage
circuit interrupters or ground fault circuit interrupters.
(2) Provide for a safety inspection between January 1,
2025, and December 31, 2025, and each year thereafter, by a
licensed or certified electrician. The inspection shall
include a review of all sources of electric supply, including
ship-to-shore power pedestals, submergible pumps and sewage
pump-out facilities, that could result in unsafe electrical
current in the water for the purpose of ensuring compliance
with the standards for maintenance of electrical wiring and
equipment that are applicable to the marina. In the event
that a deficiency is found during a safety inspection, any
subsequent inspection that is required for the inspection of
repairs that are made to address the deficiency shall be
conducted by a licensed or certified electrician.
(3) Install permanent safety signage with print legible
at 80 feet of distance and placed to give adequate notice to
persons using the boat dock or marina, or swimming area near
the boat dock or marina, of the electric shock hazard risks
of the waters around the boat dock or marina. The signage
shall state:
ELECTRIC SHOCK HAZARD RISK: NO SWIMMING WITHIN 100
YARDS OF THE BOAT DOCK
(b) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
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subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Boat dock." A man-made structure that protrudes into a body
of water for the purpose of mooring a boat or for other water-
related recreation, including boat liveries, and that is
connected to an electric power source in any manner if the
structure does not include structures that are privately owned
and used exclusively by the owner or the owner's guests for
noncommercial purposes.
"Boat dock operator" or "marina operator." Any person,
whether the owner or not, supervising or responsible for the
operation, maintenance or repair of a boat dock or marina
subject to this part.
"Marina." A dock, including a boat dock or basin providing
moorings for watercraft and boat houses and offering supply,
repair or other services, including electric power source, for
remuneration. The term does not include structures that are
privately owned and used exclusively by the owner or the owner's
guests for noncommercial purposes.
"Person." An individual, partnership, firm, corporation,
association or other legal entity.
"Vessel." Any watercraft, other than a seaplane on the
water, designed and used primarily for navigation or
transportation on the water.
"Watercraft." A vessel that is propelled by machinery,
whether or not the machinery is the principal source of
propulsion. The term does not include a vessel owned or operated
by the Federal Government, the Commonwealth or any department,
agency or political subdivision of the Commonwealth.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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