(a) General rule.--The commission may promulgate such rules and regulations as it deems appropriate to provide for the operation and navigation of boats, including the rules of the road for boating, the ways, manner, methods and means of boating, the management of boats and the use thereof and the protection of waters for boating purposes. The rules and regulations may relate to:

(1) Protection of the health and safety of persons on boats, towed by boats, or on, in or along the waters of this Commonwealth.

(2) Protection of property on, in or along the waters of this Commonwealth and of fish and other aquatic life in such waters.

(3) Boat noise and sound levels.

(4) Capacity and loading of boats.

(5) Equipment requirements for boats, operators of boats, passengers on boats and persons towed or pulled by boats.

(6) Lights, signals, courses, channels, rights-of-way and hazards to navigation.

(7) The placing and lighting of aids, markers, floats, ramps or other devices or structures of any description in the waters of this Commonwealth.

(8) Disposal of oil, gas, gasoline, trash, rubbish, debris, wastes and other things and substances of any description from boats.

(9) Procedures to be followed and information to be supplied by owners and operators of boats in reporting boating accidents.

(b) Penalties.--Any person who violates a rule or regulation promulgated under this section which the commission designates as being for the protection of the health and safety of persons as provided by subsection (a)(1) commits a summary offense of the second degree. Any person who violates any other regulation promulgated under this section commits a summary offense of the third degree. In addition to any other penalty, any person who is convicted or acknowledges guilt for an offense of possessing insufficient, nonapproved or unserviceable safety equipment on a boat, or for passengers, or persons being towed by a boat on the waters of this Commonwealth may be fined an additional penalty of not less than $20 nor more than $50 for every piece of safety equipment required that is missing, not worn when required, not of an approved type or unserviceable.

(Dec. 22, 1989, P.L.735, No.102, eff. Jan. 1, 1990; Nov. 3, 1999, P.L.447, No.41, eff. Jan. 1, 2000; Nov. 1, 2012, P.L.1716, No.211, eff. 60 days)

2012 Amendment. Act 211 amended subsec. (b).