Text: HF00152                           Text: HF00154
Text: HF00100 - HF00199                 Text: HF Index
Bills and Amendments: General Index     Bill History: General Index



House File 153

Partial Bill History

Bill Text

PAG LIN
  1  1    Section 1.  Section 462A.2, Code 1999, is amended by adding
  1  2 the following new subsections:
  1  3    NEW SUBSECTION.  12A.  "Lanyard" means a cord, rope, or
  1  4 wire which connects an operator to a motorboat or motorized
  1  5 vessel and is designed to stop the motor when disconnected.
  1  6    NEW SUBSECTION.  22A.  "Personal watercraft" means a
  1  7 vessel, less than sixteen feet in length, which is propelled
  1  8 by a water jet pump or similar machinery as its primary source
  1  9 of motor propulsion and is designed to be operated by a person
  1 10 sitting, standing, or kneeling on the vessel rather than being
  1 11 operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling inside the
  1 12 vessel.
  1 13    Sec. 2.  Section 462A.9, Code 1999, is amended by adding
  1 14 the following new subsection:
  1 15    NEW SUBSECTION.  6A.  A person shall not operate a personal
  1 16 watercraft unless each person aboard is wearing an approved
  1 17 personal flotation device as prescribed by rule of the
  1 18 commission.
  1 19    Sec. 3.  Section 462A.10, Code 1999, is amended by adding
  1 20 the following new subsection:
  1 21    NEW SUBSECTION.  3.  The owner of a boat livery shall not
  1 22 permit any of the owner's personal watercraft to be operated
  1 23 for hire by a person who is under eighteen years of age.
  1 24    Sec. 4.  Section 462A.12, subsection 1, Code 1999, is
  1 25 amended to read as follows:
  1 26    1.  No A person shall not operate any vessel, or manipulate
  1 27 any water skis, surfboard, or similar device in a careless,
  1 28 reckless or negligent manner so as to endanger the life, limb,
  1 29 or property of any person.  A person shall not operate a
  1 30 personal watercraft, in a manner so that the personal
  1 31 watercraft becomes airborne or completely leaves the water
  1 32 while the personal watercraft crosses the wake of another
  1 33 vessel within one hundred feet of the other vessel.
  1 34    Sec. 5.  Section 462A.12, subsection 6, Code 1999, is
  1 35 amended to read as follows:
  2  1    6.  No An owner or operator of any vessel propelled by a
  2  2 motor of more than six horsepower shall not permit any person
  2  3 under twelve years of age to operate such the vessel except
  2  4 when unless accompanied by a responsible person of at least
  2  5 eighteen years of age who is experienced in motorboat
  2  6 operation.  An owner or operator of a personal watercraft,
  2  7 other than an owner of a personal watercraft livery, shall not
  2  8 permit any person under sixteen years of age to operate a
  2  9 personal watercraft unless accompanied by a responsible person
  2 10 of at least eighteen years of age.
  2 11    Sec. 6.  Section 462A.12, Code 1999, is amended by adding
  2 12 the following new subsections:
  2 13    NEW SUBSECTION.  12.  A person operating a personal
  2 14 watercraft equipped by the manufacturer with a lanyard-type
  2 15 engine cutoff switch shall attach the lanyard to the person's
  2 16 body, clothing, or personal flotation device as appropriate
  2 17 for the specific personal watercraft.
  2 18    NEW SUBSECTION.  13.  A person shall not operate a personal
  2 19 watercraft at any time between sunset and seven a.m.
  2 20    NEW SUBSECTION.  14.  A person shall not chase or harass
  2 21 wild animals while operating a personal watercraft.
  2 22    NEW SUBSECTION.  15.  A person shall not operate a vessel
  2 23 if the vessel's passenger capacity would be exceeded by those
  2 24 persons in the vessel and those persons being towed on water
  2 25 skis, a surfboard, or similar device.
  2 26    Sec. 7.  Section 462A.15, Code 1999, is amended to read as
  2 27 follows:
  2 28    462A.15  WATER SKIS AND SURFBOARDS.
  2 29    1.  No A person shall not operate a vessel on any waters of
  2 30 this state under the jurisdiction of the commission for towing
  2 31 a person or persons on water skis, surfboard or similar device
  2 32 unless there is in such vessel a responsible person, in
  2 33 addition to the operator, in a position to observe the
  2 34 progress of the person or persons being towed.
  2 35    2.  A person shall not operate a personal watercraft on
  3  1 waters of this state under the jurisdiction of the commission
  3  2 for towing a person unless, in addition to the operator, an
  3  3 observer is on board to monitor the progress of a person being
  3  4 towed.
  3  5    2. 3.  The provisions of subsections 1 and 2 of this
  3  6 section do not apply to a performer engaged in a professional
  3  7 exhibition or a person or persons engaged in a professional
  3  8 exhibition or a person or persons engaged in an activity
  3  9 authorized under section 462A.16.
  3 10    Sec. 8.  Section 462A.26, subsection 3, paragraph a,
  3 11 subparagraph (2), Code 1999, is amended to read as follows:
  3 12    (2)  Motorboats or personal watercraft shall maintain a
  3 13 minimum passing or meeting distance of fifty one hundred feet
  3 14 when both boats vessels are traveling at speeds greater than
  3 15 five miles per hour except as otherwise authorized under a
  3 16 special events permit issued by the department.  
  3 17                           EXPLANATION
  3 18    This bill includes the following requirements and
  3 19 restrictions regarding the operation of various types of
  3 20 vessels:
  3 21    1.  A personal watercraft is defined as a vessel, under 16
  3 22 feet in length, which is propelled by a water jet pump or
  3 23 similar machinery and is designed to be operated by a person
  3 24 sitting, standing, or kneeling on the vessel.
  3 25    2.  All persons aboard a personal watercraft are required
  3 26 to wear an approved personal flotation device.
  3 27    3.  A person must be at least 18 years of age to operate a
  3 28 personal watercraft for hire from a boat livery.
  3 29    4.  An owner or operator of a personal watercraft, other
  3 30 than the owner of a personal watercraft livery, shall not
  3 31 allow a person under 16 years of age to operate a personal
  3 32 watercraft unless accompanied by a responsible person of at
  3 33 least 18 years of age.
  3 34    5.  Personal watercraft shall not be operated in a manner
  3 35 which will cause the personal watercraft to become airborne by
  4  1 crossing the wake of another vessel within 100 feet of the
  4  2 other vessel.
  4  3    6.  Lanyard is defined as a cord, rope, or wire, which
  4  4 connects an operator with a motorized vessel and is designed
  4  5 to stop the motor when disconnected.
  4  6    7.  A person operating a personal watercraft equipped by
  4  7 the manufacturer with a lanyard-type engine cutoff is required
  4  8 to attach the lanyard to the operator's body, clothing, or
  4  9 personal flotation device as appropriate.
  4 10    8.  A person shall not operate a personal watercraft at any
  4 11 time after sunset and before seven a.m. of the following day.
  4 12    9.  A person shall not chase or harass wild animals while
  4 13 operating a personal watercraft.
  4 14    10.  A person shall not operate a vessel while its
  4 15 passenger capacity is exceeded.  A person being towed on a
  4 16 water ski, surfboard, or similar device is included as part of
  4 17 the capacity of the vessel.
  4 18    11.  An operator of a personal watercraft shall not tow
  4 19 another person without an observer to monitor the progress of
  4 20 those being towed.
  4 21    12.  Motorboats or personal watercraft shall maintain a
  4 22 minimum passing or meeting distance of 100 feet when both
  4 23 vessels are traveling at speeds of more than five miles per
  4 24 hour, except as otherwise authorized under a special events
  4 25 permit issued by the department.  
  4 26 LSB 1398HH 78
  4 27 tj/sc/14
     

Text: HF00152                           Text: HF00154
Text: HF00100 - HF00199                 Text: HF Index
Bills and Amendments: General Index     Bill History: General Index

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