MEMO: May 30, 2008

Attention: North Carolina Fishermen

The North Carolina State Senate has passed the following resolution for changes in the states requirements to allow boats under 120" in total width (including guideons) to travel 24/7/365 on all North Carolina highways and boats over the 120" requirement will be able to travel seven days a week but not in the dark.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SENATE BILL 1695
Short Title: Vehicle Size and Weight Changes.
(Public)

Sponsors: Senators Jenkins, Tillman and Preston.

Referred to:
Commerce, Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Section 5. G.S. 20-116 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:

Size of vehicles and loads. (m) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the towing of any boat or boat trailer in excess of 102 inches in width but less than 120 inches shall not require a permit to be issued pursuant to the requirements of G.S. 20-119 and may take place on any day of the week, including weekends and holidays, and may take place at night. With a properly issued permit, the towing of any boat or boat trailer of 120 inches or more in width may take place on any day of the week, including weekends and holidays, but shall not take place at night."

Because of the change in permit fees the bill was referred to the Commerce, Small Business and Entrepreneurship committee

THE TOWING OF ANY BOAT OR BOAT TRAILER IN EXCESS OF 102 INCHES IN WIDTH SHALL REQUIRE A PERMIT TO BE ISSUED with a fee of $100 (They deleted the word "NOT" from the original senate bill.)

This is still up in the air but chances are that the bill will stand as changed with the Commerce Committee's requirement.

The House Bill sponsored by State Representatives Stiller, Love, McElraft and Younge is in review by the House Wildlife Resources Committee and hopefully will be back for the full house to ratify within the next week or so.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2007
HB 2150
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO INCREASE THE WIDTH OF BOATS THAT MAY BE TRANSPORTED ON HIGHWAY ROUTES DURING THE DAY AND NIGHT WITH AND WITHOUT A PERMIT, CHANGE THE FEE FOR ANNUAL PERMIT FOR RECREATIONAL BOATS AND TRAILERS, AND CHANGE THE PENALTY FOR PERMIT VIOLATIONS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1. G.S. 20 116 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: "(m) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the towing of any boat or boat trailer less than 121 inches wide shall not require a permit to be issued pursuant to the requirements of G.S. 20 119. With a properly issued permit, the towing of any boat or boat trailer in excess of 120 inches wide may take place. Pursuant to the provisions of this section, towing of any boat or boat trailer may take place on any day of the week, including weekends and holidays, and may take place at night. The fee for an annual permit issued for a recreational boat or boat trailer pursuant to the provisions of G.S. 20 119(b) shall be only twenty five dollars ($25.00).
SECTION 2. G.S. 20 116(d)(3) reads as rewritten:"(3) A fine of fifty dollars $50.00) for any other violation of the permit conditions or requirements imposed by applicable regulations."

Because the Senate has a little more say so in what happens with NC legislation, chances are that the Senate bill as written will be the one that becomes law.

The SKA wants to express our thanks to all of the NC congressional and law enforcement people who have taken lots of their valuable time to keep us in the loop and to listen to all of our complaining. None of this would have happened so quickly without the help, support and approval from the North Carolina State Police and the NCDOT ... Especially Major Jamie Hatcher and his crew who were always on our side of the issue.

Again, we all owe Sgt. Al Morris for his tireless effort pushing this along.

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