The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Utah requires boaters to complete an annual safety course starting in 2027
Last action · March 25, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Mike Petersen and 1 other
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What This Bill Does
Utah enacts a new safety education requirement, making it illegal to operate a motorboat or sailboat without carrying proof of completing an annual online safety course. The measure takes effect January 1, 2027.
operators and boat rental businesses must comply with new annual training or briefing rules or face legal s.
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Watercraft operators
Operators of motorboats and sailboats must complete an annual safety course and carry proof of completion while on the water.
Liveries
Boat rental businesses must verify renters have completed the annual course or provide them with a safety briefing before renting a watercraft.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do I need to take the watercraft safety course?
What happens if I rent a boat from a livery without having taken the course?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
48 actions- Mar 25, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolledGovernor Signed
- Mar 16, 2026HouseHouse/ to Governor
- Mar 16, 2026HouseHouse/ received enrolled bill from Printing
- Mar 12, 2026HouseHouse/ enrolled bill to Printing
- Mar 12, 2026Clerk of the HouseEnrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
- Mar 10, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingDraft of Enrolled Bill Prepared
Show 42 earlier actions
- Mar 10, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / EnrollingBill Received from House for Enrolling
- Mar 7, 2026HouseHouse/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling
- Mar 7, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ to House
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ signed by President/ returned to House
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ concurs with Senate amendment
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
- Mar 6, 2026HouseHouse/ received from Senate
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ to House with amendments
- Mar 6, 2026SenateFloorSenate/ passed 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
- Mar 6, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd & 3rd readings/ suspension
- Mar 5, 2026SenateSenate/ Rules to 2nd Reading Calendar
- Mar 4, 2026SenateSenate/ 2nd Reading Calendar to Rules
- Feb 27, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0054S01
- Feb 26, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0054S01
- Feb 26, 2026SenateSenate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
- Feb 26, 2026SenateSenate/ comm rpt/ substituted
- Feb 26, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
- Feb 26, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Substitute Recommendation
- Feb 25, 2026Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0054S01
- Feb 25, 2026Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0054S01
- Feb 4, 2026SenateSenate Comm - Held
- Jan 27, 2026SenateCommitteeSenate/ to standing committee
- Jan 23, 2026SenateIntroducedSenate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Jan 22, 2026SenateSenate/ received from House
- Jan 22, 2026HouseHouse/ to Senate
- Jan 22, 2026HouseFloorHouse/ passed 3rd reading
- Jan 22, 2026HouseHouse/ 3rd reading
- Jan 20, 2026HouseHouse/ 2nd reading
- Jan 20, 2026HouseHouse/ Rules to 3rd Reading Calendar
- Jan 20, 2026HouseIntroducedHouse/ 1st reading (Introduced)
- Jan 14, 2026HouseHouse/ received fiscal note from Fiscal Analyst
- Jan 14, 2026HouseHouse/ received bill from Legislative Research
- Jan 13, 2026ReleasedLFA/ fiscal note publicly available for HB0054
- Jan 13, 2026Version SponsorLFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for HB0054
- Dec 19, 2025Legislative Fiscal AgencyLFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for HB0054
- Dec 19, 2025Legislative Fiscal AnalystLFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for HB0054
- Dec 19, 2025Legislative Research and General CounselNumbered Bill Publicly Distributed
- Dec 19, 2025Legislative Research and General CounselBill Numbered but not Distributed
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
le.utah.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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