(a) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall formulate courses in safe boating operation.
(b) (1) The commissioner shall adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, setting forth the content of safe boating operation courses. Such regulations may include provisions for examinations, issuance of safe boating certificates and establishment of reasonable fees for the course and examination and for issuing certificates, temporary certificates and duplicate certificates.
(2) The commissioner shall amend the regulations described in subdivision (1) of this subsection to set forth the content for instruction on safe water skiing, which shall be part of the course in safe boating operation. Such safe water skiing content shall include instruction on the safe operation of a vessel while engaged in water skiing. Such regulations may include provisions establishing a fee for a safe water skiing endorsement and an alternative online course only for such safe water skiing endorsement and shall include provisions for the issuance of a safe water skiing endorsement to be placed on a safe boating certificate or certificate of personal watercraft operation, including, but not limited to, provisions for including safe water skiing questions in the safe boating certificate examination and provisions for revoking any such endorsement. The commissioner shall make available on the department's Internet web site online information in safe water skiing that provides equivalent information on safe water skiing to such safe water skiing instruction provided as part of the course in safe boating operation.
(c) No person shall teach a course in safe boating operation that satisfies the requirements for issuance of a safe boating certificate if the commissioner has not approved such course.
(d) No Department of Energy and Environmental Protection employee or agent shall use Department of Energy and Environmental Protection safe boating course materials for personal gain.
(e) Any person who holds a certificate from another state that has a reciprocal agreement with the commissioner may operate a vessel on the waters of this state.
(f) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be fined not less than sixty dollars or more than two hundred fifty dollars for each violation.
(P.A. 89-388, S. 2, 27; P.A. 91-408, S. 12, 18; P.A. 00-152, S. 4; P.A. 01-105, S. 10; P.A. 08-26, S. 5; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3, S. 476; P.A. 11-80, S. 1; P.A. 15-25, S. 2; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5, S. 412.)
History: P.A. 91-408 amended Subsec. (b) to replace “certificates of boating operation” with “safe boating certificates” and authorize the regulations to include provisions for the establishment of a fee for the issuance of a temporary certificate, and added Subsec. (c) re reciprocity; (Revisor's note: In 1997 a reference in Subsec. (b) to “Boating Fund” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “boating account” to conform section to Sec. 15-155); P.A. 00-152 amended Subsec. (c) by deleting language authorizing department to enter into reciprocal agreements and language re successfully completing safe boating course; P.A. 01-105 made technical changes; P.A. 08-26 added new Subsec. (c) requiring commissioner's course approval, Subsec. (d) prohibiting use of department materials for personal gain and Subsec. (f) re penalty for violation and redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (e); June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3 amended Subsec. (b) to delete provision re fees collected pursuant to regulations shall be deposited in boating account established pursuant to Sec. 15-155; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” and “Department of Environmental Protection” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection” and “Department of Energy and Environmental Protection”, respectively, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 15-25 amended Subsec. (b) by designating existing provision re adoption of regulations as Subdiv. (1) and adding Subdiv. (2) re amendment of regulations to include safe water skiing content, effective June 4, 2015; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-5 amended Subsec. (b)(2) by adding provision re establishing fee for safe water skiing endorsement and alternative online course for safe water skiing endorsement, effective June 30, 2015.