HOUSE BILL No. 5469


     January 14, 1998, Introduced by Rep. Middaugh and referred to the Committee on Conservation, Environment and Recreation.


        A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

   "Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

   by amending section 80152 (MCL 324.80152), as added by 1995 PA

   58.

               THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 1         Sec. 80152.  (1) A person shall not operate a vessel on the

 2    waters of this state if he or she is towing or otherwise assist-

 3    ing a person on water skis or on a water sled, aquaplane, surf-

 4    board, or other similar contrivance unless a person capable of

 5    communicating to the vessel operator the condition and needs of

 6    the person being towed or assisted is on board the vessel and

 7    positioned to observe the person being towed or assisted.

 8         (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to vessels used by duly

 9    constituted ski schools in the giving of instructions or to

10    vessels used in sanctioned ski tournaments, competitions,


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 1    expositions, or trials.  Vessels described in this subsection

 2    shall be equipped with a 170-degree wide-angle rearview mirror

 3    affixed in a manner that will permit the operator to observe the

 4    progress of the person being towed.

 5         (3) This section does not apply to motorboats less than 16

 6    feet in length actually operated by the person being towed and so

 7    constructed as to be incapable of carrying the operator in or on

 8    the motorboat.

 9         (4) THE DEPARTMENT MAY AUTHORIZE A VESSEL OPERATOR WHO IS

10    PREPARING FOR A SKI TOURNAMENT TO TOW OR OTHERWISE ASSIST A

11    PERSON ON WATER SKIS WITHOUT AN OBSERVER AS REQUIRED UNDER SUB-

12    SECTION (1).  THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMULGATE RULES THAT PRE-

13    SCRIBE THE REQUIREMENTS THAT A VESSEL OPERATOR SHALL MEET TO

14    QUALIFY TO OPERATE A VESSEL WITHOUT AN OBSERVER PURSUANT TO THIS

15    SECTION.  THE DEPARTMENT MAY CONSULT STATE AND NATIONAL WATER SKI

16    ORGANIZATIONS PRIOR TO PROMULGATING THE RULES REQUIRED UNDER THIS

17    SUBSECTION.























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