SENATE BILL NO. 732


   September 22, 1999, Introduced by Senators SIKKEMA, DUNASKISS,
        JOHNSON, HAMMERSTROM, BULLARD, GOSCHKA and SHUGARS and 
        referred to the Committee on Transportation and Tourism.



        A bill to amend 1998 PA 116, entitled

   "Personal watercraft safety act,"

   by amending section 31 (MCL 281.1431).

               THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 1         Sec. 31.  (1) Except as provided in  subsection
              SUBSECTIONS

 2    (2) AND (3), a person under the age of 14 shall not use a per-

 3    sonal watercraft on the waters of this state.

 4         (2) A person who is 12 or more and less than 14 years of age

 5    before January 1, 1999 may use a personal watercraft on the

 6    waters of this state if before January 1, 1999 he or she obtained

 7    a boating safety certificate.

 8         (3) A PERSON WHO IS 12 OR MORE AND LESS THAN 14 YEARS OF AGE

 9    MAY USE A PERSONAL WATERCRAFT ON THE WATERS OF THIS STATE IF ALL

10    OF THE FOLLOWING CIRCUMSTANCES EXIST:




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 1         (A) THE PERSON IS ACCOMPANIED BY THE PERSON'S PARENT OR

 2    LEGAL GUARDIAN.

 3         (B) BOTH THE PERSON AND THE PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN HAVE

 4    OBTAINED A BOATING SAFETY CERTIFICATE.

 5         (C) IF THE PERSONAL WATERCRAFT IS EQUIPPED BY THE MANUFAC-

 6    TURER WITH A LANYARD-TYPE ENGINE CUTOFF SWITCH, THE PARENT OR

 7    LEGAL GUARDIAN SHALL HAVE THE LANYARD ATTACHED TO HIS OR HER

 8    PERSON, CLOTHING, OR PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICE.

 9         (4)  (3)  A person who was born after December
             31, 1978

10    shall not operate a personal watercraft upon the waters of this

11    state unless he or she first obtains a boating safety

12    certificate.

13         (5)  (4)  Not more than 5 years after this act
             takes effect,

14    the graduated age provisions of this section shall be reviewed by

15    the appropriate committee of both houses of the legislature to

16    ascertain the effect, if any, these provisions have had upon the

17    safe operation of personal watercraft upon the waters of this

18    state.

19         (6)  (5)  The owner of a personal watercraft
             or a person

20    having charge over or control of a personal watercraft shall not

21    authorize or knowingly permit the personal watercraft to be oper-

22    ated in violation of this section.

23         (7)  (6)  This section does not apply to a
             performer engaged

24    in a professional exhibition or a person preparing to participate

25    or participating in a regatta, race, marine parade, tournament,

26    or exhibition held in compliance with section 80164 of the

27    natural resources and environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451,



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 1    MCL 324.80164, under a permit issued by the department and at the

 2    time and place specified in the permit.




















































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