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RESOLUTION URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO CREATE A SEPARATE CATEGORY OF VESSEL SPEED VIOLATIONS IN MANATEE PROTECTION ZONES THAT CARRIES A HIGHER PENALTY

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WHEREAS, the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act, section 379.2431, Florida Statutes, establishes over 20 manatee protection vessel speed zones on Florida waters; and
WHEREAS, Florida law requires boaters to comply with such vessel speed limits; and
WHEREAS, section 327.73, Florida Statutes, imposes a $50 civil penalty for violating vessel speed limits, along with an additional $40 in court costs; and
WHEREAS, under current Florida law, vessel speeding fines are the same regardless of whether they occur in a manatee protection area or not; and
WHEREAS, vessel speeding citations in a manatee protection area are less than half the cost of a motor vehicle speeding citation; and
WHEREAS, motor vehicle speeding citations can range from $188 to over $300 including courts costs and surcharges depending on the speed; and
WHEREAS, increasing the penalties for violating vessel speed limits in a manatee protection area can serve to protect manatees,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Urges the Florida Legislature to create a separate category for vessel speed limits in manatee protection zones and impose a higher penalty for violating vessel speed limits in manatee protection zones.
Section 2. Directs the Clerk of the Board to transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the Governor, Senate President, House Speaker, the Chair and Members of the Miami-Dade County State Legislative Delegation, and the Chairman and Members of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Section 3. Directs the County's state lobbyists to advocate for the issue set forth in Section 1 above, and directs the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to include this item in the 2009 State Legislative Package.