INDIANAPOLIS | Two proposals that could affect recreational boating in Northwest Indiana have been approved by Senate committees.
House Bill 1564 allows a motorboat registered in another state to operate in Indiana waters for 180 days without having to obtain an Indiana registration number. Current law requires out-of-state motorboats be registered in Indiana after 60 days in the state.
The natural resources committee agreed to limit the delayed registration option to boats entering Indiana through Lake Michigan after determining the state would lose more than $40,000 in annual boat taxes and fees if applied statewide.
The amended proposal was approved 7-0.
The Senate's commerce committee separately voted 7-0 for House Bill 1380, which enables local port authorities to buy fuel without using a formal bidding process so long as the fuel is to be resold to the public.
Indiana airport authorities are already allowed to bypass normal purchasing requirements for wholesale fuel purchases. If this measure becomes law, the port authorities in Hammond, East Chicago and Michigan City would get the same power.
State Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, and state Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, are Senate sponsors of the proposal.
The measures now advances to the full Senate. Both were previously approved by the House.
Please Wait…