AIRBOAT REGULATION S.B. 1234:
FLOOR SUMMARY
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Senate Bill 1234 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Senator Patricia L. Birkholz
Committee: Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs
CONTENT
The bill would amend Part 801 (Marine Safety) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to prohibit a person from operating an airboat within 450 feet of a residence between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. at a speed exceeding that required to maintain forward movement.
The prohibition would not apply to the operation of an airboat under any of the following circumstances: in an emergency when necessary to protect public safety; in the event the airboat ran aground and needed to be freed; or for a governmental purpose, if the airboat were clearly marked and identified as being used for a governmental purpose.
(Previously, Part 801 contained identical provisions, which were repealed on May 1, 2007.)
Proposed MCL 324.80108a Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on local government. There are no data to indicate how many offenders would be convicted of operating an airboat within 450 feet of a residence between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. at a speed in excess of the minimum speed required to move. Local governments would incur the costs of incarceration in local facilities, which vary by county. Additional penal fine revenue would benefit public libraries.
Date Completed: 4-17-08 Fiscal Analyst: Lindsay Hollander
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb1234/0708