Closing the Loophole – No More Drinking and Fishing From a Boat in Arizona (UPDATED)

NEW UPDATE June 29 2024:  It looks like boats (vehicles used soley on water) and rail craft me in fact not be covered by these changes.  I will wait and see.  Politicians are good at changing things.

UPDATE:  After writing this short note about the new statute I posted a link to it on several social media platforms including several relevant Facebook groups.  One is a Facebook group that is an official outlet for AzGFD.  It was removed from there. TWICE!  Huh?  There is nothing by AzGFD about it on that group.  All I was trying to do is make people aware of how this new “law” could affect more than just the OHVs that the law is supposed to be about, so I have to ask:

Is it about safety or a money grab?

The new “OHV law” appears to broaden alcohol violations to cover boats and lawn mowers the same as cars on the road. Since the statute appears to expire one of the key promoted elements of OHV safety (the required safety course) in just a few years automatically, and my post was removed twice, I vote money grab.

My Original Short Article Below:

As some of you may have been aware a sort of loophole in Arizona made it so it was not illegal to drink a beer while fishing from your boat.  You could not operate a boat if you were over the legal limit, but technically drinking a single beer was not specifically illegal while on your boat.  It appears that loophole has been closed by an Off Highway Vehicle statute just signed by Governor Hobbs.

SB 1567 further redefines existing law to ensure Arizona’s liquor and open container laws apply to all “self-propelled vehicles,” rather than vehicles primarily designed for public highways.

You can read the article here:  12News – Governor signs bill mandating new rules for operating off-road vehicles in Arizona

If worded this way this would also close the loophole in Arizona for having a beer while fishing from a motorboat…. or mowing your lawn.