AB214: Bill Text

LRB-1850/2

RNK:jld:jd

2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE

2015 Assembly BILL 214

May 14, 2015 - Introduced by Representatives Barca, Jarchow, Ohnstad, Murphy, Sinicki, Quinn and Jorgensen, cosponsored by Senators Olsen and Wirch. Referred to Committee on Tourism.

AB214,1,5 An Act to renumber and amend 30.66 (3) (ar), 30.66 (3) (b) and 30.68 (5); and to create 30.50 (4d), 30.66 (3) (ar) 2., 30.66 (3) (b) 2. and 30.68 (5) (b) of the statutes; relating to: exemptions to certain boating restrictions for operators of hydro-flight devices and operators of personal watercraft that assist in powering hydro-flight devices.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Current law prohibits a person from operating a personal watercraft at a speed in excess of slow-no-wake within 200 feet of the shoreline of any lake or within 100 feet of any other boat. A personal watercraft is a motorboat that uses an inboard motor powering a water jet pump or a caged propeller as its primary source of motive power and that is designed to be operated by a person standing on, kneeling on, or sitting astride the watercraft. Slow-no-wake is the speed at which a boat moves as slowly as possible while still maintaining steerage control. Current law also generally prohibits a person from operating any boat within 100 feet of a swimmer.

This bill provides that the restrictions on the operation of a personal watercraft at speeds exceeding slow-no-wake near a shoreline or another boat and the restrictions against operating a boat within 100 feet of a swimmer do not apply to a person operating a hydro-flight device or to a person operating a personal watercraft that is used to assist in powering the hydro-flight device. The bill defines a hydro-flight device as a jet powered device, attached by hose to a personal watercraft, that propels a person wearing, holding, or standing on the device into the air by the use of water forced under pressure through the hose.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB214,1 Section 1. 30.50 (4d) of the statutes is created to read:

AB214,2,4 30.50 (4d) "Hydro-flight device" means a jet powered device, attached by hose to a personal watercraft, that propels a person wearing, holding, or standing on the device into the air by the use of water forced under pressure through the hose.

AB214,2 Section 2. 30.66 (3) (ar) of the statutes is renumbered 30.66 (3) (ar) 1. and amended to read:

AB214,2,9 30.66 (3) (ar) 1. No Except as provided under subd. 2., no person may operate a personal watercraft at a speed in excess of slow-no-wake within 200 feet of the shoreline of any lake.

AB214,3 Section 3. 30.66 (3) (ar) 2. of the statutes is created to read:

AB214,2,12 30.66 (3) (ar) 2. The prohibition under subd. 1. does not apply to a person operating any of the following:

AB214,2,13 a. A hydro-flight device.

AB214,2,15 b. A personal watercraft that is connected by hose to a hydro-flight device and that is supplying the water needed to operate the hydro-flight device.

AB214,4 Section 4. 30.66 (3) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 30.66 (3) (b) 1. and amended to read:

AB214,2,20 30.66 (3) (b) 1. No Except as provided under subd. 2., no person may operate a personal watercraft at a speed in excess of slow-no-wake within 100 feet of any other boat.

AB214,5 Section 5. 30.66 (3) (b) 2. of the statutes is created to read:

AB214,3,2 30.66 (3) (b) 2. The prohibition under subd. 1. does not apply to a person operating any of the following:

AB214,3,3 a. A hydro-flight device.

AB214,3,5 b. A personal watercraft that is connected by hose to a hydro-flight device and that is supplying the water needed to operate the hydro-flight device.

AB214,6 Section 6. 30.68 (5) of the statutes is renumbered 30.68 (5) (a) and amended to read:

AB214,3,14 30.68 (5) (a) No person may operate a motorboat repeatedly in a circuitous course around any other boat, or around any person who is swimming, if such circuitous course is within 200 feet of such boat or swimmer; nor shall any boat or water skier operate or approach closer than 100 feet to any skin diver's flag or, except as provided under par. (b), any swimmer unless the boat is part of the skin diving operation or is accompanying the swimmer, or unless physical conditions make compliance impossible.

AB214,7 Section 7. 30.68 (5) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

AB214,3,18 30.68 (5) (b) The prohibition under par. (a) against operation of a boat closer than 100 feet from any swimmer does not apply to a person operating any of the following:

AB214,3,19 1. A hydro-flight device.

AB214,3,21 2. A personal watercraft that is connected by hose to a hydro-flight device and that is supplying the water needed to operate the hydro-flight device.

AB214,3,22 (End)