What We're Working On - A Brief Update on Key Boating Issues

Here’s a quick update on some of the key issues RBOC’s is working on:

• Engaging with the various state and regional agencies as they take action to prevent the infestation of water bodies by the golden mussel, often imposing restrictions and prohibitions on all on-the-water activities.

• Advocating for legislation establishing an extended producer responsibility program for pyrotechnic marine flares to acknowledge that there is only one manufacturer and so that the take-back requirements are structured to ensure that the costs of implementation do not place an unreasonable burden on boaters.

• Opposing the Delta Conveyance Project that, as revised to one tunnel, would still significantly impede navigation and harm Delta recreation.

• Advocating for updates and efficiencies to state programs financed by boat registration fees to ensure they provide positive benefits to boaters and share costs with other stakeholders where appropriate – prior to an increase in boat registration fees.

• Supporting legislation to review the effectiveness of low-leach-rate paint and elevated copper concentrations in saltwater harbors, bays, and marinas that are primarily a result of the use of copper-based antifouling paint, and to determine the best methods to address elevated copper concentrations in saltwater harbors, bays, and marinas that are primarily a result of the use of this paint in the state.

• Requesting that the Outdoor Recreation for All [30x30] program identify the values of, and prioritize on-the-water opportunities within its initiatives. Clear confirmation should also be provided that the significant areas of water that have been protected over the years, including the marine life protected areas [MLPAs] count towards the 30% preservation goal.

• Raising concerns that the state’s authorization of E15 fuel will raise prices on E10 gasoline, will restrict the availability of that fuel, and will inevitably ruin many boat engines.

RBOC Urging Governor to Incorporate Boating Community Input into the Budget

As preparations are made for the January release of your proposed state budget for fiscal year 2025-2026, RBOC together with several other organizations collectively representing California’s boaters and boating industry are urging Governor Newsom and legislative leaders to consider and include the recommendations that were developed by the Division of Boating and Waterways [DBW] in State Parks through a comprehensive stakeholder engagement process.

In addition to RBOC, groups joining in the request include our national advocacy partner BoatUS, California Marine Affairs and Navigation Conference, Coastal Conservation Association of California, Marine Recreation Association, National Marine Manufacturers Association, Pacific Inter-Club Yacht Association, and Southern California Yachting Association.

DBW created three ad hoc subcommittees in November 2021 on Revenue Generation, Program Development and Alternative Funding Sources, each chaired by a Boating and Waterways Commission member, staffed by DBW, with stakeholder participation. Each met several times through 2022 and developed recommendations that were submitted to DBW and State Parks on November 17, 2022. The stakeholders participated in a two-year effort and submitted our joint recommendations in writing during this process.

The key expectation was that adoption of the recommendations would reduce costs and increase revenues, thereby reducing or eliminating any increase in the boater registration fees. In January of 2021 the proposal was to raise the fees from $20 to $70 every 2 years. Subsequent proposals called for even more of an increase, from $20 to $80 every 2 years.

We remain concerned that the stakeholder engagement has not continued, that the submitted recommendations have not been implemented, that the projected structural deficit in the Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund will remain, and that a proposed Administration solution will be a significant boat registration fee increase that is not supported by the boating community.   

The net effect would be the creation of a financial barrier to healthy on-the-water opportunities for the average California boat owner, whose boat is under 25 feet in length, and even more so for individuals in disadvantaged communities or on fixed incomes.

The average boat owner in California has an income of less than $70,000 per year, among those who are least able to afford the significant 300% increases in their registration fees.  In California, the state collects use/sales tax on the purchase of a boat and annual unsecured property tax on the boat. A significant registration fee increase will essentially make boating an activity that the average Californian family cannot afford.

The number of registered vessels in California has already been decreasing. Several years ago, California ranked third in the number of registered boats by state, today the state is fifth. Local assessors have been drastically increasing the assessed value of vessels for local property tax purposes, regardless of their age. Boaters are being required to spend more money on less effective hull paints.

The hardship of quadrupling fees coupled with severely increased fuel costs would also decrease tax revenue from boaters that fuel boats and the vehicles that tow them off the water, impact on the water or walkable restaurants accessed by boats, shopping by boaters who buy boating and camping equipment, and pay for repairs. This is in addition to the day use and launch ramp fees boaters pay at State Parks. Our communities would pay less fees for fishing and hunting, and fewer launches would decrease launch fees collected and place more hardships on marina owners. 

For these reasons, we reaffirm our support for the attached recommendations that were submitted by the three subcommittees on Alternative Funding, Revenue Generation and Program Development.

RBOC Lobbies California Legislators on Key 2024 Issues

Members of the RBOC Board of Directors met with their representatives in the State Legislature on March 12 to advocate the interests of the state’s recreational boaters on proposals ranging from boat fuel taxes and registration fees, outdoor on-the-water opportunities, marine flares, offshore wind energy, and polystyrene buoys, docks, and piers. This action-packed day is a key component of RBOC’s ongoing engagement in the State Capitol.

For RBOC’s Key Issue Update - click here

RBOC Officers and Directors “Hitting the Hill” in Sacramento

Update on RBOC-BoatU.S. Call to Action - Vessel Registration Fee Increase

An update, with thanks to thousands of boaters who have been contacting their elected representatives in the California Senate and Assembly regarding the Governor’s proposal to increase boat registration fees by 300%.

The Governor has announced his signature of a package of 24 measures that includes the budget bill junior as well as numerous budget trailer bills: https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/07/10/governor-newsom-signs-infrastructure-budget-legislation-to-build-more-faster/

This package does not include a revision to the vessel registration fees [set forth in Vehicle Code Section 9853].  The text of the previously announced budget trailer bill has not surfaced.

This package does not include an extension of the 1-1-24 sunset of the statute providing that a portion of initial vessel registration fees is provided to CARB [set forth Vehicle Code Section 9853.6].  It is our understanding that SB 84  [Gonzalez] that would extend the sunset will not move forward, and that AB 241 [Reyes] which as amended no longer includes this provision is the measure that may move forward.

The ongoing deficiency in the state Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund has therefore not been resolved for the state fiscal year that began on July 1.

The Governor and his administration have not stated that they are no longer proceeding with their proposed vessel registration fee increase, or that they have revised the proposal.

The Legislature is scheduled to begin its month-long summer recess on July 14, returning on August 14 for a final month of action.

So the possibility remains that the issue will be engaged before the Legislature adjourns on September 14.

RBOC is therefore continuing with our call-to-action, encouraging boaters to continue contacting their state legislators. To do so: click here

Join us for our Boater Town Hall Zoom Webinar on Wednesday June 28

RBOC & BoatU.S. invite boaters and clubs to join us for a timely and concise one-hour Zoom Webinar with updates on our advocacy efforts including:

Boat Registration Fee Increase

Details on the Governor’s proposal to raise registration fees by 300%, and how you can take action.

Speed Limits, Abandoned Vessels, Delta Conveyance, Offshore Wind Energy & More

An overview of the key issues impacting boating and our advocacy efforts.

The Town Hall will take place from 6:30 to 7:30 pm on Wednesday, June 28, 2023.

Register in advance for this webinar [no fee]: click here

 After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. 

What our National Advocacy Partner BoatU.S. has to say about us....

California ranks 4th when it comes to registered boats among our 50 states. Luckily Golden State boaters have a strong voice thanks to their regional advocacy group, a BoatU.S. partner.

Read the article “The Recreational Boaters of California: Advocates since 1968” in the June edition of BoatUS Magazine: click here

The San Diego skyline on San Diego Bay. California is a perennial Top 5 state for pleasure boats with 645,951 registered in 2020. 

RBOC Advocating for Governor and Legislature to Adopt Recommendations on Boating Taxes & Fees in State Budgetnd

California’s boating community and industry together support the dedication and utilization of boater fees and taxes for programs and services that directly benefit boaters.

As a part of our ongoing advocacy efforts on this issue, RBOC and several like-minded boating organizations wrote to State Parks Director Quintero and other officials today to re-affirm our interests, concerns, and requests as the state budget for FY 2023-2024 is being developed prior to the start of that fiscal year on July 1.

We appreciate the decision made by the Governor and Legislature within the state budget for the current fiscal year to refrain from significantly increasing boat registration fees, and in convening a stakeholder process to provide a path to expanded opportunities for all Californians to enjoy on-the-water recreation in the years ahead.

This process provided the opportunity for all interested parties and the state to review the expenditure of more than $100 million each year in fuel tax dollars attributable to boats owners. Within that review, we were able to assess a need to determine the most effective and efficient use of those funds, to identify approaches for increasing the disproportionally small percentage of those monies currently directed to boating programs, and to enhance the financial participation of non-boaters who benefit from the current and future programs.

We anticipate that the Governor’s May Budget Revise may propose one or more solutions to the Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund [HWRF] deficiency. We urge the administration and the Legislature to ensure that the recommendations developed through this stakeholder process are incorporated.

They include:

• A comprehensive report on the economic impact of recreational boating in California.

• The enhanced participation and financial contribution of non-boating stakeholders and beneficiaries who benefit from current and future programs and services.

• The enhancement of the statutory authority and role of the Commission to provide not only advice, but also consent on the Division’s loans and grants from the HWRF.

• The identification of approaches that can be taken to meet the new challenges identified through the stakeholder engagement process such as the number of abandoned and derelict vessels not currently addressed by the existing SAVE grant program.

• The enhancement of the Division’s administration of essential programs.

• The identification of efficiencies and improvements to programs that are not attracting the desired number of recipients due to statutory requirements that may be out-of-date, obsolete, or non-competitive.

• Encouragement of Californians to take advantage of the unique and diverse on-the-water opportunities that exist throughout the state.

• A return of a significant amount of the motor vehicle fuel taxes directly generated by recreational boaters to the HWRF.

• An identification and expenditure of other funds for grants directed to beach erosion control.

• As appropriate, a vessel registration fee adjustment that is reasonable and that corresponds to the revenues and savings that are recommended above.

With the dedicated leadership provided by members of the Boating and Waterways Commission and the personnel at the Division of Boating and Waterways, the boating community engaged in the extensive stakeholder process with optimism that the recom-mendations would inform budgetary decisions and policy initiatives to enhance unique California’s on-the-water opportunities for all Californians.

The process concluded at the end of last year with the submission of each subcommittee’s report to the Division of Boating and Waterways and the Department of Parks and Recreation.

We are urging the administration and the Legislature to incorporate the recommendations into the May budget revise and related budget legislation that will be released in the near future.

For a copy of today’s letter: click here

250% Boat Registration Fee Hike - Prevented for Now

RBOC appreciates the action taken by Governor Newsom and the State Legislature to remove a proposed 250% increase in boat registration fees from the state budget in response to the serious concerns raised by RBOC, our national advocacy partner BoatU.S., and boating associations including the Pacific Inter-Club Yacht Association, Southern California Yachting Association, Marine Recreation Association, California Association of Harbor Masters and Port Captains, California Yacht Brokers Association, National Marine Manufacturers Association, California Association of Harbor Masters and Port Captains, thousands of California boaters who took action, and several other allied organizations.

"This is the right decision for boaters," responded RBOC President Winston Bumpus. "The further we look into the many different pots where boater-generated fuel tax dollars are placed, the more questions boaters have identified about the fairness of a registration fee increase."

Continued Bumpus: "For instance, boaters pay $107 million each year in fuel taxes to the state, yet only $15 million [14%] is provided to the Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund [HWRF] for a number of programs and services including boater education and operator certification, safety and enforcement on the waterways, boating facilities, removal of abandoned and derelict watercraft, and efforts to combat invasive species."

Added David B. Kennedy with BoatU.S. Government Affairs: "This is a great demonstration of the benefits of boaters engaging on issues that matter to their boating. Working with RBOC, over 4,000 messages were sent by BoatU.S. members to the legislature and governor. It's clear their voices were heard."

The final state budget action allocates state general fund dollars to the Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund [HWRF] administered by the Division of Boating and Waterways [DBW] for a variety of programs and services that benefit boaters.

RBOC and others will participate in a public stakeholder process DBW will initiate in the near future to develop recommendations to the Legislature for long-term solutions to the deficiencies that DBW and State Parks state that the HWRF is experiencing. Boat registration fees will be part of that conversation, together with efficiencies and improvements to existing programs and revisions to better serve the boating public.

RBOC, BoatUS Yield Results for Boaters in California Budget Negotiations

Boaters speak up for a responsible boat registration fee increase,
funds for AIS prevention and recreational facilities

The voices of recreational boaters, more than 4,000 strong who recently contacted their California state legislators and governor’s office asking for a more responsible and fair boat registration fee increase, have been heard.

During recent budget negotiations, RBOC, our advocacy partner Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS), and a coalition of additional stakeholders won hard-earned concessions that save Golden State boaters money, leads to a path that more equitably funds Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) programs and beach replenishment efforts, and supports funding for construction, maintenance and operations of public recreation facilities at state water projects.

"We appreciate the support from our partner BoatUS, as well as our coalition partners and the boating community to make the boater's perspective heard in Sacramento.", said Winston Bumpus. RBOC President.

“Advocacy works,” said BoatUS Manager of Government Affairs David Kennedy. “Legislators clearly listened, and we thank them for understanding our needs.”

At issue was a budget proposal on the table for a 250% boat registration fee increase. RBOC/ BoatUS worked to reduce the increase to 100%, which now increases the cost of a two-year California recreational boat registration from $20 to $40.

Also at stake was the California State Parks’ critical Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund (HWRF), which supports the state’s AIS efforts as well as boating infrastructure and programs such as launch ramp construction, maintenance, and repair; boating safety; registration; and enforcement programs. As recently as 2019, the HWRF had teetered on insolvency. RBOC and BoatU.S. were able to take a proposed two-year, $20 million spending level and increase it by $10.7 million for the next four years, totaling more than $60 million in HWRF funding, adding stability to the fund.

The state had also been raiding HWRF for beach restoration. “It makes no sense for boaters to carry the burden of beach replenishment for the entire state, and we are glad legislators agreed with us by including a provision that would suspend transfers of HWRF funds to the public beach restoration fund,” added Kennedy.

State legislators are expected to vote on the budget by early June.