In the final deliberations that led to passage of the state’s 2014 budget, legislators blocked efforts to apply state sales tax to marina services and labor charges. The sales tax initiative, which would have affected a broad swath of businesses, will likely be debated again next year. The legislature also stood firm on boater safety, agreeing to remove amendments that would have diluted the mandatory boating education requirements and lowered the minimum age to operate a PWC.

State law will continue to incrementally increase the age of boaters who must pass a boater safety course. The minimum age to operate a PWC will remain at 16, rather than the proposed 12 years old. NMMA and PWIA partnered with the Lake Erie Marine Trades Association to successfully advocate for marine interests.

For more information, please contact David Dickerson at ddickerson@nmma.org or 202-737-9761.

Source: NMMA