Small Boat Operators Licensing Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.
Small Boat Operators Licensing Act - Requires every person wishing to operate a vessel required to be numbered under the Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971 on any waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and on the high seas beyond the territorial seas for vessels owned in the United States, to first secure a license for such operation in the State where he is a resident, in accordance with a State licensing system approved by the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating, or if no such licensing system has been approved by the Secretary for such State, such person shall secure a license in accordance with this Act. Provides that the Secretary shall approve for the purposes of this Act any State system for licensing vessel operators which meets the following standards: (1) the applicant must pass an examination on boating safety fundamentals meeting at a minimum those requirements established by the Secretary for a license under this Act; (2) the applicant must pass an examination on the rules of the road meeting at a minimum those requirements established by the Secretary for a license under this Act; (3) the license shall be subject to suspension or revocation for, at a minimum, those grounds established by the Secretary for suspension or revocation of a license under this Act; (4) the license shall be periodically renewable without examination; and (5) the State may charge fees in connection with the securing or renewal of a license under its system of licensing. Provides that no person shall operate or navigate any vessel required to be numbered under the Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971 on any waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and, in the case of a vessel owned in the United States, on the high seas, if such person is not duly licensed by a State or the Secretary in accordance with this Act. Provides that whoever operates or navigates any vessel on any of the waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and, in the case of a vessel owned in the United States, on the high seas, in violation of this Act shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $500.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on September 20, 1973. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on September 20, 1973: Referred to House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 93rd Congress (1973-74), 651 of the 23,396 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.8 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
CHARLES CHAMBERLAIN (R-MI) introduced it on September 20, 1973. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on September 20, 1973, 19348 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 19348 days ago, on September 20, 1973.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 93rd Congress has not finished by January 3, 1975 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers