HB 79

HB79 INTRODUCED
1 HB79
2 QNLIC55-1
3 By Representative Crawford
4 RFD: Ways and Means General Fund
5 First Read: 13-Jan-26
6 PFD: 17-Dec-25
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QNLIC55-1 07/15/2025 MF (F)MF 2025-2265
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4 SYNOPSIS:
5Current law provides for a vessel registration
6fee in an amount based on length of the vessel, as well
7as an additional fixed registration fee of $5 per
8vessel.
9This bill would consolidate these fees and
10provide for the distribution of these fees.
11This bill would also make nonsubstantive,
12technical revisions to update the existing code
13language to current style
14
15
16A BILL
17TO BE ENTITLED
18AN ACT
19
20Relating to vessel registration; to amend Sections
21 33-5-10, 33-5-13, 33-5-14, and 33-5-17, Code of Alabama 1975,
22 relating to the registration of vessels, to provide for
23 registration fees and the distribution of those fees; and to
24 make nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the
25 existing code language to current style.
26 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
27Section 1. Sections 33-5-10, 33-5-13, 33-5-14, and
28 33-5-17, Code of Alabama 1975, are amended to read as follows:
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29"§33-5-10
30(a)(1) The secretary shall issue annual certificates of
31 registration directly and shall authorize all judges of
32 probate in the state or any other official in the state who is
33 presently authorized to issue automobile motor vehicle license
34 plates to issue annual certificates of registration and
35 numbers in connection therewith.
36(2) In conformity with this article and any rules
37 adopted by the secretary, the secretary shall assign to each
38 issuing officer in the county a block of numbers and
39 certificates to each issuing officer in the countywhich upon
40 issue,. theThe issuing officer shall be allowedmay collect a
41 fee of two dollars ($2) for each certificate issued by him or
42 her. In counties where the judge of probate or issuing officer
43 is on the fee system, the issuing fee shall be retained by the
44 judge of probate, and, in counties where the issuing officer
45 or judge of probate is on a salary basis, the fee shall be
46 paid to the county treasury. The issuance fee shall be in
47 addition to the amount of the boat vessel registration fee
48 provided in Section 33-5-17.
49(b) All registration moneymonies collected from the
50 registration of vessels, except the two dollar ($2) issuance
51 fee allowed under subsectionsubdivision (a)(2), shall be
52 remitted monthly to ALEA not later than 10 days after the
53 first of each month. The secretary shall remit the
54 registration moneythese funds to the State TreasurerTreasury
55 to be deposited in the State Water Safety Fundas provided in
56 subsection (c).
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57(c)(1) Five dollars ($5) from each registration fee
58 provided in Section 33-5-17(a)(2)(i) through (iv) shall be
59 remitted monthly to the State Treasury and deposited into the
60 State Reservoir Management Grant Fund, established in Section
61 9-2-170, not later than 10 days after the first of each month.
62(2) Unless otherwise provided by law, the remainder of
63 the monies collected pursuant to this article, excluding the
64 issuance fee provided in subsection (a) and the distribution
65 provided in subdivision (c)(1), shall be remitted monthly to
66 the State Treasury and deposited in the State Water Safety
67 Fund.
68(3) All monies received out of the sale of
69 licensescollected from the registrations of vessels and
70 deposited in the State Water Safety Fund under this article
71 may be used by the secretary for all purposes reasonably
72 necessary in the cost of administration of this article,
73 including the printing of certificates of registration,
74 postage and transportation charges, clerical, personnel,
75 equipment purchases, salaries, and other expenses for each
76 year; except, that no funds collected under this article may
77 be used to supplement or pay the salaries of any law
78 enforcement officers other than those hired specifically for
79 the purposes of administering this article. The secretary
80 shall expend the monies appropriated to the Marine Patrol
81 Division as the secretary deems necessary and appropriate;
82 provided, however, that the appropriations may be expended
83 only for the purposes designated by the Legislature and in the
84 amounts provided therefor in the general appropriation bill
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85 and shall be budgeted and allotted in accordance with Article
86 4 of Chapter 4 of Title 41. It is the intent of the
87 Legislature that the agency utilize existing personnel and
88 equipment of the agency and of the sheriffs of this state to
89 the maximum possible extent in enforcing and administering
90 this article, to the end that there be no costly duplication
91 of services."
92"§33-5-13
93(a) EveryExcept as provided in subsection (b), each
94 certificate of registration and license as provided for in
95 this article is to shall be issued on a yearly basis and said
96 certificate and license shall be valid for one issuing year
97 only as provided in this article.
98(b) The registration of vessels shall be on a staggered
99 basis. To implement this article, the registration of vessels
100 may be for periods of less than or greater than 12 months
101 during the conversion year onlyThe initial certificate of
102 registration may be issued in any month and for a period less
103 than one year.
104(c) The staggered system for registration of vessels
105 shall be implemented thusly: The first letter of an
106 individual's last name shall determine the month in which aA
107 vessel owner shall registerrenew the registration of his or
108 her vessel(s), as indicated below during the month assigned to
109 the first letter of the vessel owner's last name, as follows:
110January.................................A,D
111February..............................B
112March...................................C, E
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113April......................................F, G, N
114May.......................................H, O
115June......................................M, I
116July........................................P, L
117August.................................J, K, R
118September.........................Q, S, T
119October...............................U, V, W, X, Y, Z,
120 to include livery boats, dealers, and manufacturers
121January: A, D
122February: B
123March: C, E
124April: F, G, N
125May: H, O
126June: M, I
127July: P, L
128August: J, K, R
129September: Q, S, T
130October: U, V, W, X, Y, Z, to include livery boats,
131 dealers, and manufacturers
132(d)After the conversion period all owners of vessels
133 shall continue to register their vessels during the month
134 assigned to the first initial of their last name. All
135 registrations issued on a staggered basis shall expire on the
136 last day of the month whichthat precedes the registration
137 month assigned for the purchase or renewal of
138 registrationprovided in subsection (c). All registrations
139 issued to vessels for which registration is due in October and
140 November shall expire on September 30."
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141"§33-5-14
142(a) The description of the vessel of a manufacturer or
143 dealer shall be omitted from the certificate of registration
144 since the number awarded may be used on different vessels at
145 different times. In lieu of the vessel's description, the word
146 "manufacturer" or "dealer," as appropriate, shall be plainly
147 marked on each certificate of registration.
148(b) The manufacturer or dealer may have the number
149 awarded printed upon or attached to a removable sign or signs
150 to be temporarily but firmly mounted upon or attached to the
151 vessel being demonstrated or tested so long asif the display
152 meets the requirements of this article.
153(c) A certificate of registration and the corresponding
154 number issued pursuant to this section may only be used for
155 vessels being demonstrated or tested."
156"§33-5-17
157(a)(1) Vessels subject to this article, including
158 livery boats, shall be classified as provided in subdivision
159 (2). according to the following schedule and annual fees
160 charged by the Alabama State Law Enforcement Agency for
161 registration shall be in the following amounts
162(2) The amount of the vessel registration fee for each
163 class is established as follows:
164(i) CLASS 1. Vessels Lessless than 16 feet in length,:
165 eighteentwenty-three dollars ($18)($23) plus a two dollar ($2)
166 issuance fee.
167(ii) CLASS 2. Vessels Sixteen16 feet or over and less
168 than 26 feet in length,: twenty-threetwenty-eight dollars
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169 ($23)($28) plus a two dollar ($2) issuance fee.
170(iii) CLASS 3. Vessels Twenty-six26 feet or over and
171 less than 40 feet in length,: seventy-threeseventy-eight
172 dollars ($73)($78) plus a two dollar ($2) issuance fee.
173(iv) CLASS 4. Vessels Forty40 feet or over in length,:
174 ninety-eightone hundred three dollars ($98)($103) plus a two
175 dollar ($2) issuance fee.
176The above stated fees shall also apply to livery boats.
177(v) CLASS 5. Dealer or manufacturer vessels;: temporary
178 license, twenty-three dollars ($23) plus a two dollar ($2)
179 issuance fee for each license.
180(3) The issuance fee provided in Section 33-5-10(a)
181 shall be in addition to the vessel registration fee provided
182 in subdivision (2).
183(b) In addition to the foregoing fees, there shall be
184 anAn inspection fee of twenty-five dollars ($25) is
185 established for all homemade boats which require a hull
186 identification number. This fee shall be in addition to any
187 other fee provided by law.
188(c) In addition to the foregoing fees, there shall be
189 an additional registration fee of five dollars ($5) for every
190 Class 1 through 4 vessel registered. All monies received from
191 the additional registration fee provided under this subsection
192 shall be remitted monthly to the State Treasurer to be
193 deposited into the State Reservoir Management Grant Fund not
194 later than 10 days after the first of each month."
195Section 2. This act shall become effective on January
196 1, 2027.
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