On July 1, the Florida Freedom Boater law went into effect. The law directs the local tax collector to have boat owners complete a “Vessel Safety Equipment Attestation” form to get the Florida Freedom Boater Safety Inspection decal sent to them.
The new form must be completed upon the original registration, renewal, or transfer of vessel ownership. It asks the owner to attest and confirm two statements.
The first states: “I, the undersigned, hereby affirm and attest that the vessel described above is equipped with all safety equipment required by the United States Coast Guard and applicable federal regulations for legal operation on state and federal waters.”…