Safe boating certificate. Safe water skiing endorsement.

(b) A safe boating certificate shall be issued under subsection (a) of this section to any applicant regardless of age who provides proof that such applicant has: (1) Successfully completed a course in safe boating operation approved by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, which courses may include those offered by the United States Power Squadrons, Coast Guard Auxiliary or other organizations, or (2) successfully passed an equivalency examination testing knowledge of safe boating operation administered by the commissioner. (c) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, any person who purchases a new or used vessel may, upon vessel registration, apply to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for a temporary safe boating certificate which shall be valid for three months from the date of registration. No person shall be issued more than one temporary safe boating certificate. (d) Any person operating a vessel other than a personal watercraft, as defined in section 15-140j , which is rented for a period of fourteen days or less from a boat livery need not obtain a certificate during the rental period. An owner, agent or employee of a boat livery shall furnish to each rental customer literature on safety and rules of navigation as supplied by the commissioner. (e) Any person enrolled in a course in safe boating operation approved by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection may operate a vessel without a safe boating certificate when under the direct onboard supervision of a boating instructor holding a valid instructor number issued by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. (f) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, on and after October 1, 2015, no person shall operate on the waters of the state a vessel that is required to be registered or numbered pursuant to this chapter and that is engaged in water skiing, as defined in section 15-127 , unless such person: (1) Is not less than sixteen years of age, (2) has a valid vessel operator license issued by the United States Coast Guard, has obtained a safe boating certificate or certificate of personal watercraft operation issued by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection or holds a boating safety certificate from a state that has a reciprocal agreement with the commissioner pursuant to section 15-140f or 15-140j , and (3) has a safe water skiing endorsement on or accompanying such certificate that was issued by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection upon such person's completion of the safe water skiing instruction described in section 15-140f . No owner of a vessel shall knowingly authorize or permit a person who is less than sixteen years of age to operate such vessel while engaged in water skiing on the waters of the state. The requirements of subdivision (3) of this subsection shall not apply to any resident or person who, on or before October 1, 2015, received a valid vessel operator license issued by the United States Coast Guard, obtained a safe boating certificate or certificate of personal watercraft operation from the commissioner or held a boating safety certificate from a state that has such a reciprocal agreement with the commissioner. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the towing of a person or a vessel during the course of an emergency that poses a threat to human life or property. (g) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be fined not less than sixty or more than two hundred fifty dollars for each such violation. (h) Any course in safe boating operation approved by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, as described in subsection (b) of this section, shall include instruction on the proper means of: (1) Inspecting a vessel and trailers used for transporting such vessels for the presence of vegetation and aquatic invasive species, as determined by the commissioner pursuant to subsection (a) of section 15-180 ; and (2) properly disposing of such vegetation and such aquatic invasive species. See Sec. 15-180 re transporting vessels or trailers without inspecting for properly removing and disposing of vegetation.