AB500,88,3
11. Water ski tournaments, competitions, exhibitions or trials therefor, where
2adequate lighting is provided
, or practice sessions that are authorized by a permit
3from a local governmental unit that enacts an ordinance under s. 30.77
.
Note: The reference to "duly authorized" water ski tournaments and other
activities is unclear. A specific reference to authorization by means of a permit from a
local governmental unit that adopts ordinances under s. 30.77 is substituted for that
phrase.
"Practice sessions" is substituted for "trials". The meaning of "trials" is not clear,
although one sense of that word is a preliminary competition. The special committee
believes that the exemption from the observer requirement is widely understood to apply
to all activities related to organized water ski activities, including practice sessions, and
that the broader exemption from the observer requirement is appropriate, so the statute
is redrafted accordingly.
Current s. 30.69 (1) (a) commences with "Except as provided in par. (b)". That
provision is recreated above in s. 30.69 (1) (c), with the omission of the reference to the
provision of adequate lighting. It appears to be the intent of the current statute that the
observer requirement does not apply to water ski tournaments, competitions, exhibitions
or practice sessions under any circumstances.
AB500, s. 309 4Section 309. 30.69 (1) (b) 2. of the statutes is created to read:
AB500,88,75 30.69 (1) (b) 2. Motorboats less than 16 feet long that are operated by the person
6being towed and that are so constructed as to be incapable of carrying the operator
7in or on the motorboat.
AB500, s. 310 8Section 310. 30.69 (1) (bm) of the statutes is created to read:
AB500,88,129 30.69 (1) (bm) Paragraph (a) 2. does not apply to water ski tournaments,
10competitions, exhibitions, or practice sessions that are conducted under a permit
11from a local governmental unit that enacts an ordinance under s. 30.77 and for which
12adequate lighting is provided.
AB500, s. 311 13Section 311. 30.69 (1) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 30.69 (1) (b) 3. and
14amended to read:
AB500,88,1815 30.69 (1) (b) 3. In addition to complying with par. (a), no person may operate
16a
A personal watercraft that is towing a person who is on engaged in water skis, an
17aquaplane
skiing or a similar device activity unless the personal watercraft is
18designed to seat at least 3 persons.
AB500, s. 312
1Section 312. 30.69 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB500,89,62 30.69 (2) Careful and prudent operation. A person operating a motorboat
3having in tow a person on water skis, aquaplane or engaged in water skiing or a
4similar device activity shall operate such boat the motorboat in a careful and prudent
5manner and at a reasonable distance from persons and property so as not to
6endanger the life or property of any person.
AB500, s. 313 7Section 313. 30.69 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB500,89,118 30.69 (3) Restrictions. (a) No person operating a motorboat that is towing
9persons a person engaged in water skiing, aquaplaning or a similar activity may
10operate the motorboat within 100 feet of any occupied anchored boat, any personal
11watercraft, or any marked swimming area or public boat landing.
AB500,89,1412 (b) No person who is engaged in water skiing, aquaplaning or a similar activity
13may get come within 100 feet of a personal watercraft or allow the tow rope while in
14use to get come within 100 feet of a personal watercraft.
AB500,89,1615 (c) 1. A motorboat towing a person who is engaged in water skiing , aquaplaning
16or a similar activity.
AB500,89,1817 2. The tow rope of a motorboat towing a person who is engaged in water skiing,
18aquaplaning
or a similar activity.
AB500,89,1919 3. A person who is engaged in water skiing, aquaplaning or a similar activity.
AB500,89,2220 (d) Paragraphs (a) to (c) do not apply to pickup or drop areas that are marked
21with regulatory markers and that are open to operators of personal watercraft and
22to persons and motorboats engaged in water skiing or a similar activity.
AB500, s. 314 23Section 314. 30.69 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB500,90,524 30.69 (4) Intoxicated operation. No person may use engage in water skis, an
25aquaplane
skiing or a similar device activity while under the influence of an

1intoxicant to a degree which renders him or her incapable of safely using engaging
2in
water skis, an aquaplane skiing or a similar device activity, or under the combined
3influence of an intoxicant and any other drug to a degree which renders him or her
4incapable of safely using engaging in water skis, an aquaplane skiing or a similar
5device activity.
AB500, s. 315 6Section 315. 30.70 of the statutes is renumbered 30.70 (1) and amended to
7read:
AB500,90,148 30.70 (1) No person may engage in underwater diving or swimming with the
9use of swimming fins or skin diving in waters other than marked swimming areas
10or within 150 feet of the shoreline, and no unless the location of the swimming or
11diving is marked by a diver's flag. No
person may engage in underwater diving or
12swimming
with the use of self-contained any underwater breathing apparatus in
13waters other than marked swimming areas, unless the location of such the diving or
14swimming
is distinctly marked by a diver's flag, not less than.
Note: "Underwater diving" is eliminated and "skin diving" is retained. Skin diving
appears to be a clear reference to all types of diving that do not involve the use of an
underwater breathing apparatus.
AB500,90,22 15(2) A diver's flag under sub. (1) shall consist of a flag that is 12 inches high and
1615 inches long, displaying and displays one diagonal white stripe 3 inches wide on
17a red background, and. The diver's flag shall be of a height above the water so as to
18be clearly apparent at a distance of 100 yards under normal conditions, and so
19designed and displayed as to be visible from any point on the horizon. Except in case
20of emergency, anyone no person engaging in such diving or swimming shall not that
21requires a diver's flag may
rise to the surface outside of a radius of 50 feet from such
22the diver's flag.
AB500,91,10
1(3) No person engaged in such diving or swimming shall that requires a diver's
2flag may
interfere with the operation of anyone fishing nor or engage in such diving
3or swimming in established traffic lanes; nor shall any such person alone or with
4another, intentionally or unintentionally, block or
. No person engaged in diving or
5swimming that requires a diver's flag may
obstruct any boat in any manner from
6proceeding to its destination in its course where a no reasonable alternative is
7unavailable available. A reasonable alternative route course is available when the
8otherwise unobstructed boat can proceed to its destination pass the diver's flag
9without reducing its lawful speed, by passing to the right or to the left of a marked
10diving operation
while complying with s. 30.68 (5g).
Note: This provision is modified to eliminate the requirement that the boat must
be proceeding to its destination in order for the prohibition on obstructing the boat to
apply. This makes the prohibition on obstructing a boat applicable to any legal course
that the boat may take. The added reference to s. 30.68 (5g) is the newly numbered
requirement for boats to remain at least 100 feet from a diver's flag.
AB500, s. 316 11Section 316. 30.71 (1) of the statutes is repealed.
Note: The definition of "outlying waters" duplicates the definition of that term in
current s. 30.01 (4r).
AB500, s. 317 12Section 317. 30.73 (2) (a) of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:
AB500,91,1313 30.73 (2) (a) Patrol boat operators.
Note: See the exception for patrol boat operators in s. 30.68 (14), as renumbered
from s. 30.64.
AB500, s. 318 14Section 318. 30.73 (4) of the statutes is repealed.
Note: Section 30.73 pertains to use regulations on the Brule River. Subsection (4)
establishes a penalty by cross-reference to s. 30.80 (1). However, that cross-reference is
unnecessary because s. 30.80 (1) provides that it establishes penalties for violation of ss.
30.50 to 30.80 for which a specific penalty is not provided elsewhere.
AB500, s. 319 15Section 319. 30.735 of the statutes is created to read:
AB500,92,2 1630.735 Tampering with navigation aids or regulatory markers. No
17unauthorized person may move, remove, molest, tamper with, destroy, or attempt to

1destroy any aid to navigation or regulatory marker, sign, or other device established
2and maintained to aid boaters.
Note: This provision is currently part of s. 30.68 (12), which is repealed in this bill.
AB500, s. 320 3Section 320. 30.74 (1) (c) and (d) of the statutes are amended to read:
AB500,92,74 30.74 (1) (c) A valid certificate issued by another state, as defined in s. 115.46
5(2) (f), or a province of Canada or the Canadian government that is held by a person
6will shall be honored if the course content substantially meets that established by
7the department.
Note: Canadian provinces no longer issue boating safety certificates. This is done
by the Canadian government.
AB500,92,108 (d) The department shall also prepare and disseminate information on water
9safety to the public, including the informational pamphlets specified in s. 30.52 (5)
10(a) 4. and (b) 3.
AB500, s. 321 11Section 321. 30.74 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB500,92,1712 30.74 (2) (a) The department by rule shall establish uniform marking of the
13water areas waters of this state through the placement of aids to navigation and
14regulatory markers. These rules shall establish a marking system compatible with
15the system of aids to navigation prescribed by the U.S. coast guard and shall give due
16regard to the system of uniform waterway markers approved by the advisory panel
17of state officials to the merchant marine council, U.S. coast guard
.
AB500,92,23 18(bm) No municipality local governmental unit that enacts an ordinance under
19s. 30.77
or person may mark the waters of this state in any manner in conflict with
20the marking system prescribed established by the department under par. (a). Any
21regulatory marker or aid to navigation that does not comply with this marking
22system is considered an unlawful obstruction to navigable waters and may be
23removed in accordance with law under s. 30.95.
AB500,93,4
1(c) The department may not prohibit the placement of a regulatory marker or
2an aid to navigation if it complies with this the marking system established by the
3department under par. (a)
and if it is being placed pursuant to an ordinance that has
4been
enacted in compliance with under s. 30.77.
Note: The advisory panel is obsolete.
AB500, s. 322 5Section 322. 30.74 (2) (b) of the statutes is repealed.
Note: The definitions of these terms are deleted here and recreated as definitions
in s. 30.50.
AB500, s. 323 6Section 323. 30.74 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB500,93,137 30.74 (3) Enforcement. The department shall assist in the enforcement of ss.
830.50 to 30.80 and in connection therewith. The department may maintain patrol
9boats and may operate such the patrol boats at such times and places as the
10department deems necessary in the interest of boating safety and the effective
11enforcement of boating laws. An ordinance enacted under s. 30.77 does not apply to
12a patrol boat operated by the department if the patrol boat is engaged in a law
13enforcement activity.
Note: This allows wardens to more effectively patrol lakes and streams, primarily
by avoiding the need to comply with extensive slow-no-wake ordinances.
AB500, s. 324 14Section 324. 30.742 of the statutes is renumbered 30.5005 (3).
AB500, s. 325 15Section 325. 30.77 of the statutes is repealed and recreated to read:
AB500,93,16 1630.77 Local regulation of boating. (1) Definitions. In this section:
AB500,93,1817 (a) "Footage of shoreline" means the length of shoreline in feet measured by use
18of a map wheel on the U.S. geological survey 7 1/2 minute map series.
AB500,93,2019 (b) "State law" means this section, ss. 30.50 to 30.71, and those penalties under
20s. 30.80 that apply to ss. 30.50 to 30.71.
Note: Section 30.5005 (1) (b), as created by this bill, provides that a reference to
a statute in any of the boating statutes also includes the rules promulgated under that
statute. Thus, "state laws" includes DNR boating rules.
AB500,94,5
1(2) Local regulation prohibited; exception. State laws shall be uniform in
2operation throughout the state. No local governmental unit may enact an ordinance
3on any matter pertaining to a state law except as provided under this section, or as
4provided under another statute that, by its express terms, and, notwithstanding this
5section, authorizes enactment of an ordinance by a local governmental unit.
Note: This first part of this subsection restates current law. See current s. 30.77
(1). The purpose of this provision is to establish the policy that state boating laws are
intended to be uniform, and that the authorization of local regulation is within the
context of this uniformity.
The provision regarding statutory authority other than s. 30.77 is new and states
expressly what is the apparent intent of s. 30.77, that this statute is the exclusive
authority for local regulation of boating equipment and operations, as well as other
matters subject to regulation under this section, unless specific authority is provided
elsewhere in the statutes.
AB500,94,9 6(3) Duties of the department. (a) Assistance. The department shall draft and
7disseminate model ordinances that meet the requirements of this section. The
8department shall consult with and assist local governmental units in enacting and
9enforcing ordinances that meet the requirements of this section.
Note: This provision creates a new requirement that DNR must prepare model
ordinances and assist local governmental units in enforcing ordinances enacted by those
governmental units.
AB500,94,1110 (b) Review of ordinances. The department shall review ordinances as provided
11under sub. (10).
AB500,94,15 12(4) Jurisdiction of certain local governmental units. (a) Cities, villages, and
13towns.
1. A city, village, or town that has the entire shoreline of an inland lake within
14the boundaries of the city, village, or town may enact ordinances applicable to that
15lake.
AB500,94,1816 2. A city, village, or town that has both banks of a stream within the boundaries
17of the city, village, or town may enact ordinances applicable to that portion of the
18stream that is within the boundaries of the city, village, or town.

Note: The current statute authorizes a town, village, or city to enact ordinances
applicable to both lakes and streams "within its jurisdiction". With respect to streams,
the current statute does not clearly define the jurisdiction of a town, village, or city. This
bill authorizes the town, village, or city to enact ordinances applicable to streams within
its boundaries (i.e., the town, village, or city has territory on both banks of the stream).
A later provision, in sub. (4) (e), provides that a town, village, or city that is adjacent to
a stream may enact ordinances if the town, village, or city that is also adjacent to the
stream (i.e., on the opposite shore) enacts the identical ordinance.
AB500,95,71 3. Notwithstanding pars. (b) 1. to 3. or (c) to (e), a city, village, or town may enact
2ordinances applicable to waters of this state that pertain to issues of local concern
3to that city, village, or town, as specified in sub. (5) (h). If there is a disagreement
4among local governmental units regarding the content of an ordinance enacted
5under this subdivision, or the priority of an ordinance enacted under this
6subdivision, as provided in sub. (7) (c), the matter may be submitted to the
7department for a determination.
Note: This provision is new. It authorizes ordinances that are of concern only to
an individual town, village, or city. The provisions regarding priority of local
governmental unit authority in sub. (7) (c) make it clear that a town, village, or city
ordinance related only to local issues supersedes inconsistent provisions of any other
ordinance applicable to the same body of water. The scope of these ordinances of local
concern is limited by sub. (5) (h).
AB500,95,98 (b) Counties. 1. A county that has both banks of a stream within the county
9boundaries may enact ordinances applicable to that portion of the stream.
Note: "Stream" is used instead of "river or stream", which is used in the current
statute. There is not a substantive distinction between these 2 terms.
AB500,95,1110 2. A county that has the entire shore of an inland lake within the county
11boundaries may enact ordinances applicable to that lake.
AB500,95,1312 2g. A county ordinance enacted under subd. 2. is void if the ordinance is enacted
13with respect to a lake for which an ordinance is enacted under par. (a) 1., (c), or (d).
AB500,95,1614 2r. A county ordinance enacted under subd. 2 with respect to a lake for which
15an ordinance has not been enacted under par. (a) 1., (c), or (d) is void if any of the
16following applies:
AB500,96,3
1a. The entire shoreline of the lake is within the boundaries of a city, village, or
2town that adopts a resolution declaring the county ordinance void, and the city,
3village, or town files a copy of the resolution with the department.
AB500,96,84 b. At least 50 percent of the cities, villages, or towns with a portion of the
5shoreline of the lake within the boundaries of the city, village, or town adopt a
6resolution declaring the county ordinance void, a copy of the resolution is filed with
7the department, and at least 40 percent of the footage of shoreline of the lake is
8within the boundaries of those cities, villages, or towns.
Note: This provision is new. Counties have authority under the current statutes
to enact ordinances related only to streams and county marina developments. This bill
gives counties the authority to enact ordinances related to an inland lake if the entire
shore of the inland lake is within the county boundaries. The county is not required to
obtain authorization from the towns, villages, or cities bordering the lake. A county is not
required to enact ordinances for all lakes, but rather may determine which lakes within
the county merit regulation. Although not stated in the bill, it is obvious that one or more
towns, villages, or cities bordering the lake may request the county to enact an ordinance.
Under the current statute, the primary authority to enact boating regulations, or
to delegate authority to enact boating regulations, rests with the towns, villages, and
cities. Although counties are given authority in this bill to enact boating ordinances, the
preeminent authority of towns, villages, and cities is retained. If a town, village, or city
enacts an ordinance applicable to a lake or adopts a resolution declaring the county
ordinance void, the county ordinance is void with respect to that lake. Similarly, the
towns, villages, or cities with concurrent jurisdiction of a lake may adopt a resolution
declaring the county ordinance void, if the requisite number of municipalities do so, as
provided in this bill. Finally, a town sanitary district or lake district that enacts an
ordinance pursuant to authority granted by the towns, villages, or cities bordering a lake
renders the county ordinance on that lake void.
AB500,96,109 3. A county may enact ordinances applicable to outlying waters that are
10contiguous to the county.
Note: The current statute authorizes a town, village, or city to enact ordinances
applicable to "waters of this state within its jurisdiction". Municipal jurisdiction of
outlying waters is determined by the municipal charter. It appears that there is some
variability in jurisdiction, with the jurisdiction of some municipalities ending at the
water's edge and others extending into the Great Lakes for varying distances. It does not
appear that there is substantial reason for towns, villages, or cities to adopt boating
regulations on the Great Lakes other than in the near-shore areas. Therefore, this bill
provides that counties may enact ordinances applicable to outlying waters. Towns,
villages, and cities have authority in sub. (4) (a) 3. to enact ordinances of local concern on
outlying waters, whether or not the county has adopted ordinances on those waters.
AB500,97,3
14. A county that operates a marina development adjacent to waters of this state
2may enact ordinances that relate to the development, operation, and use of the
3marina and the waters adjoining the marina.
AB500,97,74 (c) Multiple cities, villages, and towns; inland lakes. A city, village, or town may
5enact ordinances applicable to an inland lake if the city, village, or town has a portion
6of the shoreline of the lake within the boundaries of the city, village, or town and all
7of the following apply:
AB500,97,98 1. At least 50 percent of the cities, villages, or towns with a portion of shoreline
9of the lake within their boundaries enact an identical ordinance.
AB500,97,1110 2. At least 60 percent of the footage of shoreline of the lake is within the
11boundaries of the cities, villages, and towns that enact an identical ordinance.
AB500,97,1612 (d) Town sanitary district or lake district. A town sanitary district or public
13inland lake protection and rehabilitation district may enact ordinances applicable
14to an inland lake if at least 60 percent of the footage of the shoreline of the lake is
15within the town sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation
16district boundary and all of the following apply:
AB500,97,2017 1. At least 50 percent of the cities, villages, or towns with a portion of the
18shoreline of the lake within their boundaries adopt a resolution authorizing the town
19sanitary district or public inland lake protection and rehabilitation district to enact
20the ordinance.
AB500,97,2221 2. At least 60 percent of the footage of shoreline of the lake is within the
22boundaries of the cities, villages, and towns that adopt the resolution.
AB500,98,223 (e) Multiple cities, villages, towns, and counties; streams. 1. A city, village, or
24town that is contiguous to a stream may enact ordinances applicable to any portion

1of the stream if each city, village, or town that is contiguous to that portion of the
2stream on the opposite bank enacts an identical ordinance.
AB500,98,53 2. A county that is contiguous to a stream may enact ordinances applicable to
4any portion of the contiguous stream if each county that is contiguous to that portion
5of the stream on the opposite bank enacts an identical ordinance.
Note: The current statute does not distinguish between streams within and
streams contiguous to a county, town, village, or city. This bill makes that distinction, and
requires identical ordinances in the latter case. (The requirement to adopt an identical
ordinance is determined by the portion of the stream to which the ordinance applies.)
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