Substitute House Bill No. 5332 introduces new regulations concerning boating safety and modifies existing fines related to boating violations. Effective October 1, 2026, the bill prohibits operators of motorboats from allowing any person to hang any part of their body over the gunwale while the boat is underway, with exceptions for activities such as anchoring, mooring, or docking at dead slow speed. Additionally, the bill increases the fine for abandoning a vessel from a range of $300-$500 to $750-$1,000, and it allows the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection to recover reasonable costs from the last recorded owner of an abandoned vessel for its recovery and any necessary environmental remediation.

The bill also stipulates that if the individual responsible for a boating violation cannot be identified, the fine will be issued to the registered owner of the vessel involved. This applies to various violations, including allowing unqualified individuals to operate personal watercraft. The fines for these violations, which previously ranged from $60 to $250, will now be enforced against the vessel's registrant when the violator is unknown. Overall, the bill aims to enhance boating safety and increase accountability among boat operators and owners.