SENATE BILL No. 1461

 

 

November 3, 2004, Introduced by Senators McMANUS, CROPSEY, VAN WOERKOM, ALLEN, BIRKHOLZ, GILBERT and JOHNSON and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs.

 

 

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled                                             

                                                                                

    "Natural resources and environmental protection act,"                       

                                                                                

    by amending sections 80102 and 80124 (MCL 324.80102 and                     

                                                                                

    324.80124), as added by 1995 PA 58.                                         

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 80102.  As used in this part:                                          

                                                                                

2       (a) "Dealer" means a person  and  or an authorized                          

                                                                                

3   representative of that person who annually purchases from a                 

                                                                                

4   manufacturer, or who is engaged in selling or manufacturing, 6 or           

                                                                                

5   more vessels that require certificates of number under this                 

                                                                                

6   part.                                                                       

                                                                                

7       (b) "Historic vessel" means a vessel that is over 25 years                  

                                                                                

8   old and that is owned solely as a collector's item and for                  

                                                                                

9   participation in club activities, exhibitions, tours, parades,              

                                                                                

10  and similar uses, including mechanical testing, but is not used             

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   for general transportation.                                                 

                                                                                

2       (c)  (b)  "Identification document" means any of the                        

                                                                                

3   following:                                                                  

                                                                                

4                                                                                (i) A valid Michigan operator's or chauffeur's license.                             

                                                                                

5       (ii) A valid driver's or chauffeur's license issued by an                    

                                                                                

6   agency, department, or bureau of the United States or another               

                                                                                

7   state.                                                                      

                                                                                

8       (iii) An official identification card issued by an agency,                   

                                                                                

9   department, or bureau of the United States, this state, or                  

                                                                                

10  another state.                                                              

                                                                                

11      (iv) An official identification card issued by a political                   

                                                                                

12  subdivision of this state or another state.                                 

                                                                                

13      (d)  (c)  "Issuing authority" means the United States coast                 

                                                                                

14  guard or a state that has a numbering system approved by the                

                                                                                

15  United States coast guard.                                                  

                                                                                

16      (e)  (d)  "Law of another state" means a law or ordinance                   

                                                                                

17  enacted by another state or by a local unit of government in                

                                                                                

18  another state.                                                              

                                                                                

19      (f)  (e)  "Lifeboat" means a small boat designated and used                 

                                                                                

20  solely for lifesaving purposes, and does not include a dinghy,              

                                                                                

21  tender, speedboat, or other type of craft that is not carried               

                                                                                

22  aboard a vessel for lifesaving purposes.                                    

                                                                                

23      (g)  (f)  "Long-term incapacitating injury" means an injury                 

                                                                                

24  that causes serious impairment of a body function.                          

                                                                                

25      Sec. 80124.  (1) Except as otherwise provided in this                       

                                                                                

26  section, the owner of a vessel required to be numbered and to               

                                                                                

27  display a decal shall file an application for a certificate of              


                                                                                

1   number with the secretary of state.  The secretary of state shall           

                                                                                

2   prescribe and furnish certificate of title application forms.  If           

                                                                                

3   a vessel requiring a certificate of title under part 803 is sold            

                                                                                

4   by a dealer, that dealer shall combine the application for a                

                                                                                

5   certificate of number that is signed by the vessel owner with the           

                                                                                

6   application for a certificate of title.  The dealer shall obtain            

                                                                                

7   the certificate of number in the name of the owner.  The owner of           

                                                                                

8   the vessel shall sign the application.  A person shall not file             

                                                                                

9   an application for a certificate of number that contains false              

                                                                                

10  information.  A dealer who fails to submit an application as                

                                                                                

11  required by this section is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable             

                                                                                

12  by imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or a fine of not more            

                                                                                

13  than $100.00, or both.                                                      

                                                                                

14      (2) A dealer who submits an application for a certificate of                

                                                                                

15  number as provided in subsection (1) may issue to the owner of              

                                                                                

16  the vessel a 15-day temporary permit, on forms prescribed by the            

                                                                                

17  secretary of state, for the use of the vessel while the                     

                                                                                

18  certificate of number is being issued.                                      

                                                                                

19      (3) A dealer may issue a 15-day permit, on a form prescribed                

                                                                                

20  by the secretary of state, for the use of a vessel purchased in             

                                                                                

21  this state and delivered to the purchaser for removal to a place            

                                                                                

22  outside of this state, if the purchaser certifies by his or her             

                                                                                

23  signature that the vessel will be registered and primarily used             

                                                                                

24  and stored outside of this state and will not be returned to this           

                                                                                

25  state by the purchaser for use or storage.  A certificate of                

                                                                                

26  number shall not be issued for a vessel  holding a permit  for              

                                                                                

27  which a permit has been issued under this subsection.                       


                                                                                

1       (4) A 15-day temporary permit issued under subsection (2) or                

                                                                                

2   (3) shall not be renewed or extended.                                       

                                                                                

3       (5) A person shall operate or permit the operation of a                     

                                                                                

4   vessel for which a 15-day temporary permit has been issued under            

                                                                                

5   this section only if the temporary permit is valid and displayed            

                                                                                

6   on the vessel as prescribed by rule promulgated by the department           

                                                                                

7   under this part.                                                            

                                                                                

8       (6) Except as otherwise provided in this section, an                        

                                                                                

9   applicant shall pay the following applicable fee at the time of             

                                                                                

10  application:                                                                

                                                                                

11       (a) A 15-day temporary permit issued under                             

                                                                                

12  subsection (3)......................................... $   10.00           

                                                                                

13       (b) Nonpowered vessels, other than                                     

                                                                                

14  nonmotorized canoes or kayaks, except as                                    

                                                                                

15  provided in section 80123....................                9.00           

                                                                                

16       (c) Nonmotorized canoes or kayaks except                               

                                                                                

17  as provided in section 80123.................                5.00           

                                                                                

18       (d) Motorboats less than 12 feet in                                    

                                                                                

19  length.......................................               14.00           

                                                                                

20       (e) Motorboats 12 feet or over but less                                

                                                                                

21  than 16 feet in length.......................               17.00           

                                                                                

22       (f) Motorboats 16 feet or over but less                                

                                                                                

23  than 21 feet in length.......................               42.00           

                                                                                

24       (g) Motorboats 21 feet or over but less                                

                                                                                

25  than 28 feet in length.......................              115.00           

                                                                                

26       (h) Motorboats 28 feet or over but less                                

                                                                                

27  than 35 feet in length.......................              168.00           


                                                                                

1        (i) Motorboats 35 feet or over but less                                

                                                                                

2   than 42 feet in length.......................              244.00           

                                                                                

3        (j) Motorboats 42 feet or over but less                                

                                                                                

4   than 50 feet in length.......................              280.00           

                                                                                

5        (k) Motorboats 50 feet in length or over              448.00           

                                                                                

6        (l) Pontoon vessels regardless of size..               23.00           

                                                                                

7        (m) Motorized canoes regardless of size.               14.00           

                                                                                

8        (n) Vessels licensed under part 473.....               15.00           

                                                                                

9        (o) Vessels carrying passengers for hire                               

                                                                                

10  that are in compliance with part 445, or                                    

                                                                                

11  under federal law; and vessels carrying                                     

                                                                                

12  passengers and freight or freight only and                                  

                                                                                

13  owned within this state or hailing from a                                   

                                                                                

14  port within this state.......................               45.00           

                                                                                

15      (7) The length of a vessel is the distance from end to end                  

                                                                                

16  over the deck, excluding the longitudinal upward or downward                

                                                                                

17  curve of the deck, fore and aft.  A pontoon boat shall be                   

                                                                                

18  measured by the length of its deck, fore and aft.                           

                                                                                

19      (8) Payment of the fee specified in this section exempts the                

                                                                                

20  vessel from the tax imposed by the general property tax act,  Act           

                                                                                

21  No. 206 of the Public Acts of 1893, being sections 211.1 to                 

                                                                                

22  211.157 of the Michigan Compiled Laws  1893 PA 206, MCL 211.1 to            

                                                                                

23  211.157.                                                                    

                                                                                

24      (9) Upon receipt of an initial application for a certificate                

                                                                                

25  of number in approved form and payment of the required fee, the             

                                                                                

26  secretary of state shall enter the information upon the official            

                                                                                

27  records and issue to the applicant a certificate of number                  


                                                                                

1   containing the number awarded to the vessel, the name and address           

                                                                                

2   of the owner, and other information that the secretary of state             

                                                                                

3   determines necessary.  The secretary of state shall issue a                 

                                                                                

4   certificate of number that is pocket size and legible.  Except as           

                                                                                

5   provided in subsection (13), a person operating a vessel shall              

                                                                                

6   present that vessel's certificate of number to a peace officer              

                                                                                

7   upon the peace officer's request.                                           

                                                                                

8       (10) If a check or draft payable to the secretary of state                  

                                                                                

9   under this part is not paid on its first presentation, the fee or           

                                                                                

10  tax is delinquent as of the date the draft or check was                     

                                                                                

11  tendered.  The person tendering the check or draft remains liable           

                                                                                

12  for the payment of each fee or tax and a penalty.                           

                                                                                

13      (11) Upon determining that a fee or tax required by this part               

                                                                                

14  has not been paid and remains unpaid after reasonable notice and            

                                                                                

15  demand, the secretary of state may suspend a certificate of                 

                                                                                

16  number.                                                                     

                                                                                

17      (12) If a person who tenders a check or draft described in                  

                                                                                

18  subsection (10) fails to pay a fee or tax within 15 days after              

                                                                                

19  the secretary of state gives him or her notice that the check or            

                                                                                

20  draft described in subsection (10) was not paid on its first                

                                                                                

21  presentation, the secretary of state shall assess and collect a             

                                                                                

22  penalty of $5.00 or 20% of the amount of the check or draft,                

                                                                                

23  whichever is larger, in addition to the fee or tax.                         

                                                                                

24      (13) The owner or authorized agent of the owner of a vessel                 

                                                                                

25  less than 26 feet in length that is leased or rented to a person            

                                                                                

26  for noncommercial use for not more than 24 hours may retain, at             

                                                                                

27  the place from which the vessel departs or returns to the                   


                                                                                

1   possession of the owner or the owner's representative, the                  

                                                                                

2   certificate of number for that vessel if a copy of the lease or             

                                                                                

3   rental agreement is on the vessel.  Upon the demand of a peace              

                                                                                

4   officer, the operator shall produce for inspection either the               

                                                                                

5   certificate of number or a copy of the lease or rental agreement            

                                                                                

6   for that vessel.  The lease or rental agreement shall contain               

                                                                                

7   each of the following:                                                      

                                                                                

8       (a) The vessel number that appears on the certificate of                    

                                                                                

9   number.                                                                     

                                                                                

10      (b) The period of time for which the vessel is leased or                    

                                                                                

11  rented.                                                                     

                                                                                

12      (c) The signature of the vessel's owner or that person's                    

                                                                                

13  authorized agent.                                                           

                                                                                

14      (d) The signature of the person leasing or renting the                      

                                                                                

15  vessel.                                                                     

                                                                                

16      (14) Upon receipt of a certificate of number for a vessel,                  

                                                                                

17  the owner of that vessel shall paint on or attach in a permanent            

                                                                                

18  manner to each side of the forward half of the vessel the number            

                                                                                

19  identified in the certificate of number, in the manner prescribed           

                                                                                

20  by rules promulgated by the department.  The secretary of state             

                                                                                

21  shall assign to the owner of vessels for rent or lease a block of           

                                                                                

22  numbers sufficient to number consecutively all of that owner's              

                                                                                

23  rental or lease vessels.  The owner shall maintain the numbers in           

                                                                                

24  a legible condition.  A vessel documented by the United States              

                                                                                

25  coast guard or a federal agency that is the successor to the                

                                                                                

26  United States coast guard is not required to display numbers                

                                                                                

27  under this part but shall display a decal indicating payment of             


                                                                                

1   the fee prescribed in subsection (6), and shall otherwise be in             

                                                                                

2   compliance with this part.  This subsection does not apply to a             

                                                                                

3   nonpowered vessel 12 feet or less in length.                                

                                                                                

4       (15) Upon receipt of an application for a certificate of                    

                                                                                

5   number in an approved form and payment of the fee required by               

                                                                                

6   this part, the secretary of state shall issue a decal that is               

                                                                                

7   color-coded and dated to identify the year of its expiration, and           

                                                                                

8   that indicates that the vessel is numbered in compliance with               

                                                                                

9   this part.  The decal for a vessel numbered as a historic vessel            

                                                                                

10  under subsection (21) shall bear the inscription "historic                  

                                                                                

11  vessel". The department shall promulgate a rule or rules to                 

                                                                                

12  establish the manner in which  the  a decal under this subsection           

                                                                                

13  is to be displayed.                                                         

                                                                                

14      (16) A decal is valid for a 3-year period that begins on                    

                                                                                

15  April 1 and expires on March 31 of the third year.  However, a              

                                                                                

16  decal for a vessel numbered as a historic vessel under subsection           

                                                                                

17  (21) is valid for a 10-year period that begins on April 1 and               

                                                                                

18  expires on March 31 of the tenth year. An original certificate of           

                                                                                

19  number may be issued up to 90 days prior to April 1.  A numbering           

                                                                                

20  renewal decal or other renewal device may be issued up to 90 days           

                                                                                

21  prior to the expiration of a certificate.                                   

                                                                                

22      (17) Upon receipt of a request for renewal of a decal and                   

                                                                                

23  payment of the fee prescribed in subsection (6), the secretary of           

                                                                                

24  state shall issue to the applicant a decal as provided in                   

                                                                                

25  subsection (15).                                                            

                                                                                

26      (18) The numbering system adopted pursuant to this part shall               

                                                                                

27  be in accordance with the standard system of numbering                      


                                                                                

1   established by the secretary of the department in which the                 

                                                                                

2   United States coast guard operates.                                         

                                                                                

3       (19) An agency of this state, a political subdivision of this               

                                                                                

4   state, or a state supported college or university of this state             

                                                                                

5   that owns a vessel that is required to be numbered under this               

                                                                                

6   part shall register that vessel and upon payment of either of the           

                                                                                

7   following shall receive from the secretary of state a certificate           

                                                                                

8   of number for that vessel:                                                  

                                                                                

9       (a) A fee of $3.00, for a vessel that is not used for                       

                                                                                

10  recreational, commercial, or rental purposes.                               

                                                                                

11      (b) The fee required under subsection (6), for a vessel that                

                                                                                

12  is used for recreational, commercial, or rental purposes.                   

                                                                                

13      (20) The secretary of state shall, upon receipt of payment of               

                                                                                

14  the fee required under subsection (19), issue a certificate of              

                                                                                

15  number for each vessel subject to subsection (19).                          

                                                                                

16      (21)  A vessel that is 30 years of age or older and not used                

                                                                                

17  other than in club activities, exhibitions, tours, parades, and             

                                                                                

18  other similar activities is a historic vessel.  The secretary of            

                                                                                

19  state shall make available to the public application forms for              

                                                                                

20  certificates of number for historic vessels.  and, upon  Upon               

                                                                                

21  receipt of a completed application form,  and fee,  a certificate           

                                                                                

22  of the owner that the vessel is owned and operated solely as a              

                                                                                

23  historic vessel, and a certificate that the vessel has been                 

                                                                                

24  inspected and found safe to operate on the waters of this state,            

                                                                                

25  the secretary of state shall number a historic vessel as a                  

                                                                                

26  historic vessel.  The fee for the numbering of a historic vessel            

                                                                                

27  is 1/3 of the otherwise applicable fee specified in subsection              


                                                                                

1   (6).  The certificate of number issued under this subsection is             

                                                                                

2   transferable to another historic vessel upon completion of the              

                                                                                

3   application for transfer and payment of the fee in the manner               

                                                                                

4   described in section 80125.                                                 

                                                                                

5       (22) Upon application to the secretary of state, the owner                  

                                                                                

6   of a nonmotorized canoe or kayak who registered that vessel under           

                                                                                

7   former Act No. 303 of the Public Acts of 1967 between January 1,            

                                                                                

8   1989 and April 17, 1990 shall receive a refund of a portion of              

                                                                                

9   the registration fee equal to the difference in the amount that             

                                                                                

10  owner paid and the fee amount provided in subsection (6)(c).                

                                                                                

11      (22) After affording an opportunity for a hearing, the                      

                                                                                

12  secretary of state may revoke a vessel's certificate of number              

                                                                                

13  and decal as a historic vessel for any of the following reasons:            

                                                                                

14      (a) The owner failed to comply with this section in obtaining               

                                                                                

15  the certificate of number or decal.                                         

                                                                                

16      (b) The vessel has been used for a purpose other than as a                  

                                                                                

17  historic vessel.                                                            

                                                                                

18      (c) The vessel is not safe to operate on the waters of this                 

                                                                                

19  state.                                                                      

                                                                                

20      (23) The secretary of state shall refund to the owner of a                  

                                                                                

21  vessel registered under this part  or former Act No. 303 of the             

                                                                                

22  Public Acts of 1967  all of the registration fee paid for that              

                                                                                

23  vessel pursuant to this section  or section 33 of former Act                

                                                                                

24  No. 303 of the Public Acts of 1967  if all of the following                 

                                                                                

25  conditions are met during the period for which the registration             

                                                                                

26  fee was paid:                                                               

                                                                                

27      (a) The owner transfers or assigns title or interest in the                 


                                                                                

1   registered vessel before placing the decal issued under                     

                                                                                

2   subsection (15) on the vessel.                                              

                                                                                

3       (b) The owner surrenders the unused decal to the secretary of               

                                                                                

4   state within 30 days after the date of transfer or assignment.              

                                                                                

5       (24) The secretary of state shall refund to the surviving                   

                                                                                

6   spouse of a deceased vessel owner the registration fee paid                 

                                                                                

7   pursuant to this part, prorated on a monthly basis, upon receipt            

                                                                                

8   of the decal issued under subsection (15) or evidence                       

                                                                                

9   satisfactory to the secretary of state that the decal issued                

                                                                                

10  under subsection (15) has been destroyed or voided.                         

                                                                                

11      (25) If the secretary of state computes a fee under this part               

                                                                                

12  that results in a figure other than a whole dollar amount, the              

                                                                                

13  secretary of state shall round the figure to the nearest whole              

                                                                                

14  dollar.