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2012 SESSION

12100111D
HOUSE BILL NO. 8
Offered January 11, 2012
Prefiled November 29, 2011
A BILL to amend and reenact § 29.1-740 of the Code of Virginia, relating to duty of certain persons in vessels to report boating accidents; penalty.
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Patron-- Edmunds
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Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 29.1-740 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 29.1-740. Duty to stop and render assistance; penalties for violations; reporting of accident by passengers.

A. It shall be the duty of every operator of a vessel involved in a collision to stop and render assistance as required by § 29.1-739. If any person knowingly fails to comply with the provisions of § 29.1-739 when the collision, accident or other casualty results in serious bodily injury to, or the death of, any person, he shall be is guilty of a Class 6 felony. If any person knowingly fails to comply with the provisions of § 29.1-739, when the collision, accident or other casualty results only in damage to property, he shall be is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. However, if the vessel struck is unattended and the damage is less than fifty dollars $50, such person shall be punished only by a fine not exceeding fifty dollars $50.

B. If the operator of a vessel knowingly fails to comply with the provisions of § 29.1-739, every person in the vessel who is 16 years of age or older and has knowledge of the accident shall have a duty to ensure that a report is made pursuant to subsection B of § 29.1-739. Any such passenger who fails to file a report of the accident is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.