Alabama SB 35: Vessel Registration; amends boater registration fees and their distribution

Bill Text

SB35 ENROLLED
Page 0
SB35
CXLKNWJ-2
By Senator Kitchens
RFD: County and Municipal Government
First Read: 13-Jan-26
PFD: 17-Dec-25
1
2
3
4
5
6

SB35 Enrolled
Page 1
PFD: 17-Dec-25
Enrolled, An Act,
Relating to vessel registration; to amend Sections
33-5-10, 33-5-13, 33-5-14, and 33-5-17, Code of Alabama 1975,
relating to the registration of vessels, to provide for
registration fees and the distribution of those fees; and to
make nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the
existing code language to current style.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Sections 33-5-10, 33-5-13, 33-5-14, and
33-5-17, Code of Alabama 1975, are amended to read as follows:
"§33-5-10
(a)(1) The secretary shall issue annual certificates of
registration directly and shall authorize all judges of
probate in the state or any other official in the state who is
presently authorized to issue automobile motor vehicle license
plates to issue annual certificates of registration and
numbers in connection therewith.
(2) In conformity with this article and any rules
adopted by the secretary, the secretary shall assign to each
issuing officer in the county a block of numbers and
certificates to each issuing officer in the countywhich upon
issue,. theThe issuing officer shall be allowedmay collect a
fee of two dollars ($2) for each certificate issued by him or
her. In counties where the judge of probate or issuing officer
is on the fee system, the issuing fee shall be retained by the
judge of probate, and, in counties where the issuing officer
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28

SB35 Enrolled
Page 2
judge of probate, and, in counties where the issuing officer
or judge of probate is on a salary basis, the fee shall be
paid to the county treasury. The issuance fee shall be in
addition to the amount of the boat vessel registration fee
provided in Section 33-5-17.
(b) All registration moneymonies collected from the
registration of vessels, except the two dollar ($2) issuance
fee allowed under subsectionsubdivision (a)(2), shall be
remitted monthly to ALEA not later than 10 days after the
first of each month. The secretary shall remit the
registration moneythese funds to the State TreasurerTreasury
to be deposited in the State Water Safety Fundas provided in
subsection (c).
(c)(1) Five dollars ($5) from each registration fee
provided in Section 33-5-17(a)(2)(i) through (iv) shall be
remitted monthly to the State Treasury and deposited into the
State Reservoir Management Grant Fund, established in Section
9-2-170, not later than 10 days after the first of each month.
(2) Unless otherwise provided by law, the remainder of
the monies collected pursuant to this article, excluding the
issuance fee provided in subsection (a) and the distribution
provided in subdivision (c)(1), shall be remitted monthly to
the State Treasury and deposited in the State Water Safety
Fund.
(3) All monies received out of the sale of
licensescollected from the registrations of vessels and
deposited in the State Water Safety Fund under this article
may be used by the secretary for all purposes reasonably
necessary in the cost of administration of this article,
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56

SB35 Enrolled
Page 3
necessary in the cost of administration of this article,
including the printing of certificates of registration,
postage and transportation charges, clerical, personnel,
equipment purchases, salaries, and other expenses for each
year; except, that no funds collected under this article may
be used to supplement or pay the salaries of any law
enforcement officers other than those hired specifically for
the purposes of administering this article. The secretary
shall expend the monies appropriated to the Marine Patrol
Division as the secretary deems necessary and appropriate;
provided, however, that the appropriations may be expended
only for the purposes designated by the Legislature and in the
amounts provided therefor in the general appropriation bill
and shall be budgeted and allotted in accordance with Article
4 of Chapter 4 of Title 41. It is the intent of the
Legislature that the agency utilize existing personnel and
equipment of the agency and of the sheriffs of this state to
the maximum possible extent in enforcing and administering
this article, to the end that there be no costly duplication
of services."
"§33-5-13
(a) EveryExcept as provided in subsection (b), each
certificate of registration and license as provided for in
this article is to shall be issued on a yearly basis and said
certificate and license shall be valid for one issuing year
only as provided in this article.
(b) The registration of vessels shall be on a staggered
basis. To implement this article, the registration of vessels
may be for periods of less than or greater than 12 months
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84

SB35 Enrolled
Page