WATER SKIING – Amends existing law to provide an exception for water skiing.

LEGISLATURE
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IDAHO
Sixty-eighth
Legislature
Second
Regular
Session
-
2026
IN
THE
HOUSE
OF
REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE
BILL
NO.
569
BY
RESOURCES
AND
CONSERVATION
COMMITTEE
AN
ACT
1
RELATING
TO
WATER
SKIING;
AMENDING
SECTION
67
-
7024,
IDAHO
CODE,
TO
PROVIDE
2
AN
EXCEPTION
TO
THE
OBSERVER
REQUIREMENT
AND
TO
MAKE
TECHNICAL
CORREC
-
3
TIONS;
AND
DECLARING
AN
EMERGENCY.
4
Be
It
Enacted
by
the
Legislature
of
the
State
of
Idaho:
5
SECTION
1.
That
Section
67
-
7024,
Idaho
Code,
be,
and
the
same
is
hereby
6
amended
to
read
as
follows:
7
67
-
7024.
WATER
SKIING.
(1)
It
Except
as
provided
in
subsection
(2)
of
8
this
section,
it
shall
be
unlawful
for
the
operator
of
any
vessel
having
in
9
tow
or
otherwise
assisting
a
person
on
water
skis
,
aquaplane
or
a
similar
10
contrivance
to
operate
or
propel
the
same
upon
on
or
above
any
waters
of
the
1
1
state
of
Idaho
unless
that
vessel
shall
be
occupied
by
at
least
one
(1)
other
12
competent
person
who
shall
act
as
an
observer.
This
subsection
shall
not
ap
-
13
ply
to
vessels
used
by
representatives
of
duly
constituted
water
ski
schools
14
in
the
giving
of
instruction
or
to
vessels
used
in
duly
authorized
water
ski
15
tournaments,
competitions,
expositions
,
or
trials.
16
(2)
Vessels
having
in
tow
or
otherwise
assisting
a
person
on
water
skis
17
or
a
similar
contrivance
to
operate
or
propel
the
same
on
or
above
any
waters
18
of
the
state
of
Idaho
shall
be
exempt
from
the
observer
requirement
provided
19
for
in
subsection
(1)
of
this
section
provided
that:
20
(2)
(a)
Vessels
The
vessel
is
operating
within
a
regulation
legal
and
21
permitted
slalom
course
and
that
are
equipped
with
a
rearview
wide
-
an
-
22
gle
mirror
are
exempt
from
the
requirement
of
having
at
least
one
(1)
23
other
competent
person
in
the
boat
acting
as
an
observer
as
provided
in
24
subsection
(1)
of
this
section.
The
size
of
the
mirror
must
be
no
less
25
than
four
(4)
inches
from
bottom
to
top
and
across
from
side
to
side.
It
26
shall
be
mounted
firmly
to
give
the
operator
a
full,
complete
view
be
-
27
yond
the
rear
of
the
vessel
at
all
times.
is
equipped
with
a
mirror
con
-
28
sistent
with
paragraph
(b)(i)1.
of
this
subsection;
or
29
(b)(i)
The
vessel:
30
1.
Is
equipped
with
a
large
mirror
that
is
at
least
seventy
-
31
eight
(78)
square
inches
and
is
firmly
mounted
in
a
position
32
that
allows
the
operator
to
face
the
direction
of
travel
and
33
observe
the
person
being
towed
at
all
times;
34
2.
Has
a
platform
on
the
stern
of
the
boat
that
is
as
wide
as
35
the
stern
of
the
boat
and
allows
for
a
person
to
safely
exit
36
the
water
and
enter
the
vessel
without
assistance;
37
3.
Has
a
propeller
that
is
recessed
under
the
boat;
and
38
4.
Is
being
operated
between
one
(1)
hour
prior
to
sunrise
39
and
9:00
a.m.
from
May
15
through
September
10
of
each
year
40
or
at
any
time
of
day
from
September
11
through
May
14
of
each
41
year;
42

2
(ii)
The
person
in
tow
remains
in
contact
with
the
vessel
at
all
1
times
using
a
tow
rope
that
has
a
handle
or
similar
apparatus
and
2
utilizes
water
skis,
a
water
board,
a
surf
board,
or
a
similar
con
-
3
trivance;
and
4
(iii)
The
person
operating
the
vessel
is
over
eighteen
(18)
years
5
of
age
and
has
a
valid
drivers
license.
6
(3)
No
Except
as
provided
in
subsection
(2)
of
this
section,
no
ves
-
7
sel
shall
have
in
tow
or
shall
otherwise
be
assisting
a
person
on
water
skis
,
8
aquaplane
or
a
similar
contrivance
from
the
period
of
one
(1)
hour
after
sun
-
9
set
to
one
(1)
hour
prior
to
sunrise.
This
subsection
shall
not
apply
to
ves
-
10
sels
used
in
duly
authorized
water
ski
tournaments,
competitions,
exposi
-
1
1
tions
,
or
trials.
12
(4)
All
vessels
having
in
tow
or
otherwise
assisting
a
person
on
water
13
skis
,
aquaplane
or
a
similar
contrivance
shall
be
operated
in
a
careful
and
14
prudent
manner
and
at
a
reasonable
distance
from
persons
and
property
so
as
15
not
to
endanger
the
life
or
property
of
any
person
or
create
excessive
wake.
16
(5)
No
person
shall
operate
or
manipulate
any
vessel's
attached
towrope
17
or
other
device
by
which
the
direction
or
location
of
water
skis
,
aquaplane
18
or
a
similar
device
may
be
affected
or
controlled
in
such
a
way
as
to
cause
19
the
same
or
any
person
thereon
to
collide
with
or
strike
against
any
person
or
20
object
other
than
a
jumping
ramp
or
in
conjunction
with
skiing
over
a
slalom
21
course.
22
(6)
No
person
may
operate
or
permit
to
be
operated
any
vessel
used
for
23
towing
water
-
skiers
or
devices
in
which
persons
or
objects
are
being
towed
24
above,
in,
or
on
the
waters
of
this
state
unless
it
has
on
board
and
displays
a
25
warning
flag
that
must
be
international
orange
or
red
in
color
and
must
be
at
26
least
one
(1)
foot
square.
When
any
person
being
towed
by
the
vessel
becomes
27
disengaged
from
the
towline
and
is
down
in
the
water,
a
person
in
the
vessel
28
must
immediately
hold
the
warning
flag
aloft,
visible
from
all
sides,
as
an
29
indicator
to
other
vessels
in
the
area
that
a
person
is
down
in
the
water.
As
30
long
as
such
downed
person
is
in
the
water,
the
flag
must
remain
displayed
to
31
prevent
danger
to
that
person
and
hazards
to
passing
vessels.
Such
warning
32
flag
must
be
displayed
only
under
these
conditions
or
when
other
eminent
dan
-
33
ger
exists.
34
SECTION
2.
An
emergency
existing
therefor,
which
emergency
is
hereby
35
declared
to
exist,
this
act
shall
be
in
full
force
and
effect
on
and
after
its
36
passage
and
approval.
37