The 2023 California Boating Congress was an incredible success. We were fortunate to have a strong turnout of boating industry volunteers, co-hosts, and legislators from across the state who took the time to travel to Sacramento and share their industry's story. It was heartening to see so many people come together to discuss the future of boating in California.

One of the highlights of the event was the bipartisan group of lawmakers who attended, including Assemblymember Tasha Boerner from San Diego and Republican Leader Gallagher from the inland North. We were thrilled to have them at the event and appreciate their dedication to the boating industry.

At the opening reception, we had the pleasure of hosting Assemblymember Diane Dixon from Newport Beach and Juan Alanis from the Central Valley. It was a fantastic opportunity to network and discuss the issues facing the boating industry.

During the working session on Wednesday, we heard from experts on a range of topics related to boating and waterways. The Ocean Protection Council presented on 30x30, which is focused on providing access to the waterways we hold sacrosanct. We also learned about the challenges associated with offshore wind development and landside port development, as well as the access to open waters where these turbines are scheduled to deploy.

Elected Board of Equalization member Ted Gaines, who is also a former State Senator, addressed tax policy and the county reassessments of vessel value. We also heard from Director of Parks and Recreation Armando Quintero, who shared his vision for parks, and the Division of Boating and Waterways, who discussed the important issue of abandoned vessels, their findings, and the status of the Harbors and Watercraft Revolving Fund.

Senate Majority Leader Mike McGuire, Chair of the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture, gave a passionate state-of-the-state address as it relates to boating and waterways. We were grateful to have him share his insights and vision for the future of boating in California.

In addition to all of these fantastic presentations, we were honored to have former Republican Leader Marie Waldron make a special presentation to the co-hosts on the Assembly Floor, and new Legislator Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) visited our group to share and learn from CBC attendees.

Overall, the California Boating Congress was an excellent opportunity for the industry to come together, network, and learn about the issues that impact us. We are grateful to all of the legislators, regulators, and industry volunteers who made this event possible. We look forward to seeing you all next year, and who knows, maybe we will have to expand the CBC to accommodate everyone who wants to attend.