California Boating Congress is set

This year's annual California Boating Congress is set for March 30th and 31st at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Sacramento. The Marine Recreation Association is again sponsoring this important event and has posted the CBC Agenda and registration information at www.calboatingcongress.com.

For the fifth year in a row, the CBC will bring the marine industry and boating community together at the California State Capital to meet with

state legislators and regulators to remind them of the importance and economic impact of the marine industry and recreational boating in California.

This year's Congress will kick off Monday evening, March 30th at 5:30 PM, with a cocktail reception for attendees at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 1209 L. Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, giving attendees an opportunity to meet and mingle before the main event on Tuesday. For those wishing to arrive early and spend Monday evening, special hotel rates are available at www.calboatingcongress.com.

MRA President, Scott Robertson, will welcome attendees to the CBC at 8:30 AM on Tuesday morning at the Hyatt Regency Conference Center, and review the day's activities and objectives with attendees. Robert Newsome, Sr. Vice President of Strategy, Engineering Standards, & Membership for the National Marine Manufacturers Association will be the keynote speaker, and will provide an important overview of the Economic Impact of the Marine Industry and Recreational Boating in California.

A number of other important issues, including the value of the 12-month state fishing license, potential changes in the sales & use tax, and a review of The Department of Boating & Waterways, will be discussed to fill-out the morning, followed by a summary of legislative and regulatory issues affecting recreational boating in the state, presented by Beau Biller from Platinum Advisors. Beau will also handout and discuss the legislator meeting schedule, along with guidelines and instructions, for the afternoon meetings with legislators.

Lunch will be served at the Hyatt's Capitol View room, and then attendees will proceed to the State Capital for scheduled meetings with individual legislative representatives throughout the afternoon.

Opportunities to meet with state representatives are being scheduled NOW by CBC staff, and attendees must register NO LATER THAN Friday, February 21st to ensure scheduling with their State Legislators.

"Based on the success of the last four years, we are expecting the 2020 CBC, and our influence at the State Capital, to grow again this year," said Mariann Timms, MRA Operations Administrator.

This year's Congress is being co-hosted by the MRA and ten other boating related groups, including the National Marine Manufacturers Association, California Marine Affairs and Navigation Conference, Boat U.S., Personal Watercraft Industry Association, California Sportfishing League, California Delta Chambers & Visitors Bureau, Recreational Boaters of California, Sacramento Valley Marine Association, California Association of Harbor Masters & Port Captains, and the American Boat Builders & Repairers Association.

For more information and to register, visit www.calboatingcongress.com or contact Mariann Timms at 209-334-0661.

The Marine Recreation Association is a professional organization that represents marina owners, operators, and industry professionals located throughout the western United States with additional members in Canada, Mexico, and Australia. Created more than 48 years ago, the MRA actively promotes and represents recreational boating interests while providing educational management and operations seminars, and information for marine industry owners, operators, and staff.

For additional information about the MRA, and all of its activities and interests, contact Mariann Timms by phone at (209) 334-0661, email at mra@marina.org or go online at http://www.marina.org.