HB79 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Danny CrawfordRepresentative

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Vessel Registration; amends boater registration fees and their distribution

Summary

HB79 would consolidate vessel registration fees, update how the funds are distributed, and modernize the code language for Alabama vessel registration.

What This Bill Does

HB79 consolidates the current vessel registration fees into a single, class-based schedule by vessel length and adds a $2 issuance fee per certificate. It creates a staggered registration timeline during the conversion year based on the owner's last name, with renewals expiring at the end of the month before the assigned month, and then standardizes future renewals. It adds a $25 inspection fee for homemade boats and a $5 additional registration fee for Class 1–4 vessels, directing these funds to the State Reservoir Management Grant Fund while the remaining registration dollars go to the State Water Safety Fund. It also outlines how money is collected and distributed—ALEA collects the funds for remittance to state accounts, and the act allows funds to be used for administration of the program with certain salary restrictions; the measure takes effect on January 1, 2027.

Who It Affects

• Vessel owners and operators: face a consolidated, class-based registration fee structure with an added $2 issuance fee and a staggered registration schedule during the conversion year.
• Dealers and manufacturers: vessels registered under Class 5 would incur dealer/manufacturer fees and may use temporary licenses for testing or demonstrations.
• County issuing officers and judges of probate: collect the $2 issuance fee and handle distribution depending on local fee systems (to probate court or to the county treasury).
• State agencies and funds: ALEA collects and then distributes funds to state accounts; the State Water Safety Fund and the State Reservoir Management Grant Fund receive designated portions of the fees.
• Livery boat operators: included in the new fee structure and subject to the same base and supplemental fees as other vessels.

Key Provisions

• Consolidates vessel registration fees into a class-based schedule by vessel length and adds a $2 issuance fee per certificate.
• Establishes a staggered registration system during the conversion year based on the vessel owner's last name, with registrations expiring on the last day of the month before the assigned month; after conversion, renewals follow the assigned month schedule.
• Imposes a $25 inspection fee for homemade boats and a $5 additional registration fee for Class 1–4 vessels, with these funds directed to the State Reservoir Management Grant Fund; the rest of the registration funds go to the State Water Safety Fund.
• Distributes funds: five dollars from each registration fee in certain classes goes to the State Reservoir Management Grant Fund; remaining funds (excluding the issuance fee and reservoir distribution) go to the State Water Safety Fund; funds may be used for administration of the article and related costs, but not to supplement salaries of law enforcement officers except those hired for administering the article.
• Fees and administration are designed to be collected by issuing officers and ALEA, with monthly remittance to the State Treasury for deposit into the designated funds.
• Non-substantive revisions are included to update the language to current style, and the act becomes effective January 1, 2027.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 12, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Waters & Boating