S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8626
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 22, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. MIKULIN -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Transportation
 
 AN ACT to amend the navigation law, in  relation  to  requiring  pontoon
   boat  rental  businesses to equip all pontoon boats available for rent
   with a safety ladder
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The navigation law is amended by adding a new section 44-a
 to read as follows:
   § 44-A. SAFETY LADDERS EQUIPPED ON PONTOON BOAT RENTALS.  1.  FOR  THE
 PURPOSES  OF  THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING
 MEANINGS:
   (A) "PONTOON BOAT" MEANS A BOAT:
   (I) FLOATED BY TWO BULLET SHAPED PONTOONS;
   (II) CONTAINING NO INBOARD MOTORS; AND
   (III) NOT EXCEEDING TWENTY-FOUR FEET IN LENGTH, AS MEASURED  FROM  END
 TO END ON THE PONTOON.
   (B)  "PONTOON  BOAT  RENTAL  BUSINESS"  MEANS  A  BUSINESS THAT OFFERS
 PONTOON BOATS FOR RENT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, BUT SHALL NOT  INCLUDE  AN
 INDIVIDUAL  WHO ALLOWS ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL TO USE THEIR BOAT FOR PERSONAL
 RELATIONSHIPS AND WITHOUT COMPENSATION.
   (C) "SAFETY LADDER" MEANS ANY LADDER THAT IS NOT IN THE FORM OF ROPES,
 THAT IS AFFIXED TO A PONTOON BOAT AND WHICH IS DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED
 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE  STANDARDS  AND  GUIDELINES  ESTABLISHED  BY  THE
 DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
   2.  NO  PERSON, CORPORATION, PARTNERSHIP, OR LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
 WHICH IS THE OWNER OF A PONTOON BOAT RENTAL BOAT BUSINESS SHALL KNOWING-
 LY RENT OR MAKE AVAILABLE FOR RENT A PONTOON BOAT THAT IS  NOT  EQUIPPED
 WITH A SAFETY LADDER.
   3. FAILURE TO PROPERLY EQUIP A PONTOON BOAT WITH A SAFETY LADDER PRIOR
 TO  THE  RENTAL OF SUCH BOAT SHALL RESULT IN A WARNING FOR A FIRST NOTED

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11776-01-5
              

 A. 8626                             2
 
 VIOLATION, WHILE EACH SUBSEQUENT VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION SHALL  RESULT
 IN A FINE OF FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS PER VIOLATION.
   §  2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a
 law. Effective immediately, the  department  of  parks,  recreation  and
 historic  preservation  is authorized to promulgate, amend and/or repeal
 any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this  act  on
 or before such effective date.