Sec. 31.176.  PARTY BOAT OPERATOR LICENSE.  (a)  The commission by rule shall establish, as necessary to protect the public health and safety, the requirements and procedures for the issuance and renewal of a party boat operator license under this subchapter.
(b)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), the rules for obtaining a license as a party boat operator must require at a minimum that the applicant:
(1)  be at least 21 years of age;
(2)  observe for at least four hours a licensed party boat operator operating a party boat on open water;
(3)  operate for at least four hours a party boat on open water while being supervised and observed by a licensed party boat operator; and
(4)  pass a written examination covering onboard safety procedures and the applicable provisions of this chapter.
(c)  An applicant is not required to comply with Subsections (b)(2) and (3) if the applicant has:
(1)  at least 25 hours of experience operating a party boat as shown by appropriate documentation; and
(2)  no record of boating violations.
Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1159 (H.B. 12), Sec. 19A(a), eff. June 15, 2007.