A new law that takes effect Jan. 1 will switch many boating infractions in Alabama from misdemeanors and felonies to boating violations as part of an effort to create a system that resembles traffic enforcement.

The maximum penalty for boating violations can include $200 in fines and up to 30 days in jail, according to the bill. The law will change reckless boating from a misdemeanor to a boating violating. The penalty for having children younger than eight years old on a boat without a life jacket will also become a violation instead of a misdemeanor.

It also changes the penalty for boating without a safety certification from a misdemeanor to a violation. Safety certifications are required for Alabama residents and visitors who stay more than 45 days.

District courts will have jurisdiction of boating violation cases. The bill, which was sponsored by Rep. Ginny Shaver, R-Leesburg, also imposes some additional fees for boating violations and requires more accidents to be reported to authorities. It also renames the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Marine Police Division the Marine Patrol Division.

Shaver has long been involved in efforts to update and strengthen Alabama’s boating laws. Last year, Mothers Against Drunk Driving recognized her efforts to increase penalties for boating under the influence.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency announced in 2019 that boating deaths reached a two-decade high. That year, 25 people died in boating incidents.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, recreational boating accidents in the United States increased in 2020 after several decades of decline. The number of accidents and deaths decreased in 2021 and 2022. Boating accidents killed 636 people in 2022, according to the Coast Guard, most by drowning.

Earlier this year, a TikTok trend that showed people jumping from moving boats spawned a rumor that four people in Alabama died mimicking the stunt, but officials later said no such deaths had been reported.