Florida Statutes 327.731 – Mandatory education for violators
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(1) A person convicted of a criminal violation under this chapter, convicted of a noncriminal infraction under this chapter if the infraction resulted in a reportable boating accident, or convicted of two noncriminal infractions as specified in s. 327.73(1)(h)-(k), (m), (o), (p), and (s)-(y), the infractions occurring within a 12-month period, must:
For details, see Fla. Stat. § 775.082(4)(b)
(a) Enroll in, attend, and successfully complete, at his or her own expense, a classroom or online boating safety course that is approved by and meets the minimum standards established by commission rule;
Attorney's Note
Under the Florida Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| misdemeanor of the second degree | up to 60 days | up to $500 |
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 327.731
- Boating accident: means a collision, accident, or casualty involving a vessel in or upon, or entering into or exiting from, the water, including capsizing, collision with another vessel or object, sinking, personal injury, death, disappearance of a person from on board under circumstances that indicate the possibility of death or injury, or property damage to any vessel or dock. See Florida Statutes 327.02
- Commission: means the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. See Florida Statutes 327.02
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
- Operate: means to be in charge of, in command of, or in actual physical control of a vessel upon the waters of this state, to exercise control over or to have responsibility for a vessel's navigation or safety while the vessel is underway upon the waters of this state, or to control or steer a vessel being towed by another vessel upon the waters of the state. See Florida Statutes 327.02
- Person: means an individual, partnership, firm, corporation, association, or other entity. See Florida Statutes 327.02
- Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
- Vessel: is synonymous with boat as referenced in Florida Statutes 327.02
- Waters of this state: means any navigable waters of the United States within the territorial limits of this state, the marginal sea adjacent to this state and the high seas when navigated as a part of a journey or ride to or from the shore of this state, and all the inland lakes, rivers, and canals under the jurisdiction of this state. See Florida Statutes 327.02
(b) File with the commission within 90 days proof of successful completion of the course;
(c) Refrain from operating a vessel until he or she has filed proof of successful completion of the course with the commission; and
(d) Pay a fine of $500. The clerk of the court shall remit all fines assessed and collected under this paragraph to the Department of Revenue to be deposited into the Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund to support law enforcement activities.
(2) For the purposes of this section, “conviction” means a finding of guilt, or the acceptance of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, regardless of whether or not adjudication was withheld or whether imposition of sentence was withheld, deferred, or suspended. Any person who operates a vessel on the waters of this state in violation of the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
(3) The commission shall print on the reverse side of the defendant‘s copy of the boating citation a notice of the provisions of this section. Upon conviction, the clerk of the court shall notify the defendant that it is unlawful for him or her to operate any vessel until he or she has complied with this section, but failure of the clerk of the court to provide such a notice shall not be a defense to a charge of unlawful operation of a vessel under subsection (2).
(4) The commission shall maintain a program to ensure compliance with the mandatory boating safety education requirements under this section. This program must:
(a) Track any citations resulting in a conviction under this section and the disposition of such citations.
(b) Send specific notices to each person subject to the requirement for mandatory boating safety education.