An Act to Exempt Certain Watercraft from Registration Requirements

This bill, LD173, proposes to change the registration requirements for certain watercraft. Specifically, it aims to exempt certain types of boats from the need to register them with the state. This could potentially affect boat owners by reducing the paperwork and fees associated with registering their watercraft. The bill was introduced on January 14, 2025, and has gone through several stages in the legislative process, including being referred to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. However, as of June 5, 2025, the bill failed and was placed in legislative files.

Recent key actions include a roll call vote in the House on June 4, 2025, where it was decided that the Minority Ought Not to Pass Report was ACCEPTED. The bill was then reported out on May 30, 2025, and was voted on in a divided report on March 10, 2025. Despite these efforts, the bill did not pass and is now considered dead.

The sponsors of the bill are Gary Drinkwater, Richard Mason, James Thorne, and Stephen Wood, all of whom are Republicans. The bill was referred to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, which would have reviewed and potentially recommended changes or approval for the bill to move forward.