May 15, 2018, Introduced by Reps. Webber and LaGrand and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.
A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled
"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"
by amending section 80215 (MCL 324.80215), as amended by 2008 PA
178.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec.
80215. (1) Until October 1, 2011, except as provided in
subsection
(2), a person under the age of 14 shall not operate a
personal
watercraft on the waters of this state.
(2)
Until October 1, 2011, a person who is 12 or more and less
than
14 years of age may operate a personal watercraft on the
waters
of this state if all of the following circumstances exist:
(a)
The person is accompanied solely by the person's parent or
legal
guardian.
(b)
Both the person and the parent or legal guardian have
obtained
a boating safety certificate.
(c)
The personal watercraft is equipped by the manufacturer
with
a lanyard-type engine cutoff switch, and the parent or legal
guardian
has the lanyard attached to his or her person, clothing,
or
personal flotation device.
(d)
The personal watercraft is designed to carry not less than
2
persons.
(1) (3)
A person An individual who was born after December 31,
1978
shall not operate a personal watercraft upon on the
waters of
this state unless he or she first obtains a boating safety
certificate.
(2) (4)
Beginning October 1, 2011, a person An individual
under the age of 16 shall not operate a personal watercraft on the
waters
of this state unless the person all
of the following are
met:
(a)
The individual is not less than at least 14
years of age.
and
1 of the following circumstances applies:
(b) (a)
The person The individual is riding the personal
watercraft with his or her parent or guardian or an individual 21
years of age or older designated by the parent or guardian.
(b)
The person is operating or riding a personal watercraft at
a
distance of not more than 100 feet from his or her parent or
guardian
or an individual 21 years of age or older designated by
the
parent or guardian.
(c) Both the individual and the parent, guardian, or
individual 21 years or older designated by the parent or guardian
riding the personal watercraft have obtained a boating safety
certificate.
(3) (5)
The owner of a personal watercraft
or a person an
individual having charge over or control of a personal watercraft
shall not authorize or knowingly permit the personal watercraft to
be operated in violation of this section.
(4) (6)
This section does not apply to a
performer engaged in
a
professional exhibition or a person an individual preparing to
participate or participating in a regatta, race, marine parade,
tournament, or exhibition held in compliance with section 80164
under a permit issued by the department and at the time and place
specified in the permit.
(5) (7)
The 2008 amendatory act that
added subdivisions (4)(a)
and
(b) shall be known and the
content of subsection (2) may be
cited
as referred to as "Ashleigh Iserman's Law".
Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days
after the date it is enacted into law.