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Cal. HNC § 780

This is the official text of Cal. HNC § 780, part of California’s Harbors and Navigation Code — regulates ports, harbors, and boating.

Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.

Official statutory text

(a) A person shall not disconnect, bypass, or operate a marine sanitation device so as to discharge sewage into the waters of this state, unless the particular discharge is expressly authorized or permitted pursuant to state or federal law or regulations. A violation of this subdivision is a misdemeanor.

(b) The following prohibitions apply in no-discharge areas:

(1) A person shall not disconnect, bypass, or operate a marine sanitation device so as to potentially discharge sewage.

(2) A person shall not occupy or operate a vessel in which a marine sanitation device is installed unless the marine sanitation device is properly secured.

The first violation of this subdivision is an infraction punishable by a fine of up to five hundred dollars ($500). A second or subsequent violation of this subdivision by any one person is a misdemeanor.

(c) A person found guilty of a misdemeanor violation of subdivision (a) or (b) shall be subject to a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) or imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed six months, or both that fine and imprisonment.

Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site

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About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the Open US Law dataset (Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine (Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.