# 119-s-3985: State Boating Act

119-s-3985, State Boating Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID] (R-ID); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-09-10).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3985
- As of: 2026-09-10
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-3985
- Congress: 119
- Title: State Boating Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-03-04
- Sponsor: Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID] (R-ID)
- Cosponsors: 3
- Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-10

## Summary

**Authorizes states to collect new boating-related fees when issuing vessel numbers.** The bill would let state issuing authorities require and collect a state fee alongside existing vessel-numbering fees and limits spending to boating safety, boater access, recreational boating improvements, search and rescue, and aquatic invasive species mitigation. - States: Gives state issuing authorities the explicit power to add and collect a state boating fee as a condition of issuing a vessel number and to collect it together with other fees under 46 U.S.C. §12307. - Boat owners: Could face an additional state fee when registering a vessel or getting a vessel number, because states can require payment as part of issuance. - Waterways and conservation: Fee revenues must be used only for activities that improve recreational boating, enhance boater safety and access, support search and rescue, or address aquatic invasive species.

## Cosponsors (3)

- Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT] (D-VT), 2026-03-04T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID] (R-ID), 2026-03-10T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH] (D-NH), 2026-03-17T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- New boating fees for vessel owners: mixed, low. If enacted, states would be able to require a state boating fee when issuing a vessel number. The fee would be allowed to cover search-and-rescue, boating safety, or aquatic invasive species work. States would collect this fee along with other vessel-numbering fees. States would have to use the mon…

## Related bills

- 119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act
- 119-s-3940: Access to Fair Financing for Opportunity and Resilient Development Act
- 119-s-1241: Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025
- 119-s-237: Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025
- 119-s-2918: REPO Implementation Act of 2025
- 119-s-1467: Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act

## Sources
- [119-s-3985 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3985)

## Related
- [119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1748)
- [119-s-3940: Access to Fair Financing for Opportunity and Resilient Development Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3940)
- [119-s-1241: Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1241)
- [119-s-237: Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-237)
- [119-s-2918: REPO Implementation Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2918)
- [119-s-1467: Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1467)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3985 (as of 2026-09-10).