This bill establishes a nonlapsing statewide public boat access fund and ensures that decal fees collected for boat registration are dedicated solely to the statewide public boat access program. Specifically, it replaces the term "registration surcharge" with "decal fee" in RSA 233-A:13 and updates the reference to the relevant statute from RSA 270-E:5, II(d) to RSA 270-E:5-a, II(c). The funds collected, including a $5 decal fee and any other public access donations, will be appropriated to the fish and game department for the exclusive purposes of the public boat access program, with a provision for some funds to be allocated for the Mount Sunapee state park beach boat ramp project.

Additionally, the bill amends RSA 487:25 to change the terminology from "Addition to Boat Fee" to "Boat Fee Decal." It specifies that a $9.50 fee collected will be managed by the director of the division of motor vehicles and subsequently deposited into a special fund for the department of environmental services. The allocation of this fee includes provisions for lake restoration and preservation, with specific amounts designated for controlling exotic aquatic weeds and administering prevention programs. The bill ensures that all funds received under this section are continually appropriated for their intended purposes. The act will take effect 60 days after its passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 233-A:13
As Amended by the Senate: 233-A:13, 487:25