Bill Text: FL S0664 | 2018 | Regular Session | Comm Sub


Bill Title: Salvage of Pleasure Vessels

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-03-10 - Died on Calendar [S0664 Detail]

Download: Florida-2018-S0664-Comm_Sub.html
       Florida Senate - 2018                CS for CS for CS for SB 664
       
       
        
       By the Committees on Rules; Transportation; and Commerce and
       Tourism; and Senators Young, Steube, and Perry
       
       
       
       
       595-03549-18                                           2018664c3
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the salvage of pleasure vessels;
    3         creating s. 559.9602, F.S.; providing applicability;
    4         providing definitions; requiring salvors of pleasure
    5         vessels to provide specified written notice to a
    6         customer who is present on a pleasure vessel before
    7         engaging in a salvage operation of the vessel;
    8         providing an exception; providing a cause of action
    9         and remedies; specifying that such remedies are in
   10         addition to others provided by law; providing an
   11         effective date.
   12          
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Section 559.9602, Florida Statutes, is created
   16  to read:
   17         559.9602Salvage of pleasure vessels.—
   18         (1)This section applies to all salvors operating within
   19  the waters of this state, as defined in s. 327.02(47), except:
   20         (a)Any person who performs salvage work while employed by
   21  a municipal, county, state, or federal government when carrying
   22  out the functions of that government.
   23         (b)Any person who engages solely in salvage work for:
   24         1.Pleasure vessels that are owned, maintained, and
   25  operated exclusively by such person and for that person’s own
   26  use; or
   27         2.For-hire pleasure vessels that are rented for periods of
   28  30 days or less.
   29         (c)Any person who owns or operates a marina or shore-based
   30  repair facility and is in the business of repairing pleasure
   31  vessels, where the salvage work takes place exclusively at that
   32  person’s facility.
   33         (d)Any person who is in the business of repairing pleasure
   34  vessels who performs the repair work at a landside or shoreside
   35  location designated by the customer.
   36         (e)Any person who is in the business of recovering,
   37  storing, or selling pleasure vessels on behalf of insurance
   38  companies that insure the vessels.
   39         (2)As used in this section, the term:
   40         (a)“Customer” means the owner of the pleasure vessel or
   41  the person who has been given the authority by the owner to
   42  authorize salvage work of the pleasure vessel.
   43         (b)“Pleasure vessel” means any watercraft no more than 60
   44  feet in length which is used solely for personal pleasure,
   45  family use, or the transportation of executives, persons under
   46  the employment, and guests of the owner.
   47         (c)“Salvage work” means any assistance, services, repairs,
   48  or other efforts rendered by a salvor relating to saving,
   49  preserving, or rescuing a pleasure vessel or its passengers and
   50  crew which are in marine peril. Salvage work does not include
   51  towing a pleasure vessel.
   52         (d)“Salvor” means a person in the business of voluntarily
   53  providing assistance, services, repairs, or other efforts
   54  relating to saving, preserving, or rescuing a pleasure vessel or
   55  the vessel’s passengers and crew which are in marine peril, in
   56  exchange for compensation.
   57         (3)(a)If the customer is present on the pleasure vessel,
   58  before a salvor may engage in the salvage operation of a
   59  pleasure vessel, the salvor must provide the customer with
   60  written notice that the service offered is not covered by any
   61  towing contract. The written notice must include the following
   62  statement, in capital letters of at least 12-point type, and
   63  must be signed by the customer:
   64  
   65  THE SERVICE OFFERED BY THE SALVOR IS CONSIDERED SALVAGE WORK AND
   66  IS NOT COVERED BY ANY TOWING SERVICE CONTRACT. SALVAGE WORK
   67  ALLOWS THE SALVOR TO PRESENT YOU OR YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY WITH
   68  A BILL FOR THE CHARGES AT A LATER DATE. THE SALVOR SHALL
   69  CALCULATE THE CHARGES ACCORDING TO FEDERAL SALVAGE LAW AND SUCH
   70  CHARGES MAY EXCEED A CHARGE BASED ON A TIME AND MATERIALS
   71  CALCULATION. THE CHARGES COULD AMOUNT TO AS MUCH AS THE ENTIRE
   72  VALUE OF YOUR VESSEL, INCLUDING ITS GEAR AND EQUIPMENT.
   73  
   74  IF YOU AGREE TO ALLOW THE SALVOR TO PERFORM THE OFFERED WORK
   75  WITHOUT AN AGREEMENT FOR A FIXED CHARGE FOR THE SALVAGE, YOUR
   76  ONLY RECOURSE TO CHALLENGE THE ASSESSED CHARGES IS BY A LAWSUIT
   77  IN FEDERAL COURT OR, IF YOU AND THE SALVOR AGREE IN WRITING, BY
   78  BINDING ARBITRATION.
   79  
   80  YOU MAY AGREE TO A FIXED CHARGE FOR THE SALVAGE WITH THE SALVOR
   81  BEFORE WORK BEGINS, AND THE AGREED CHARGE SHALL BE DOCUMENTED ON
   82  THE U.S. OPEN FORM SALVAGE AGREEMENT OR OTHER SUCH SALVAGE
   83  CONTRACT SIGNED BY YOU AND THE SALVOR. YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO
   84  REJECT THE SALVOR’S OFFER OF SERVICES IF THE SALVOR WILL NOT
   85  AGREE TO A FIXED CHARGE BEFORE BEGINNING WORK.
   86  
   87  CUSTOMER SIGNATURE:...(Signature of customer)...
   88  
   89  DATE:...(Date signed by customer)... TIME:...(Time signed by
   90  customer)...
   91  
   92         (b)The salvor is relieved of providing the written notice
   93  required by this subsection if there is an imminent threat of
   94  injury or death to any person on board the pleasure vessel. The
   95  salvor must provide the written notice required by this
   96  subsection when there is no longer an imminent threat of injury
   97  or death to any person on board the pleasure vessel.
   98         (4)(a)If a written notice is not provided before a salvage
   99  operation as required by this section, the owner of a pleasure
  100  vessel may bring an action in the appropriate court of competent
  101  jurisdiction. An owner who prevails in such an action is
  102  entitled to damages equal to 1.5 times the amount paid or
  103  awarded to the salvor, plus court costs and reasonable attorney
  104  fees.
  105         (b)The remedies provided for in this subsection shall be
  106  in addition to any other remedy provided by law.
  107         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.

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