Use of personal watercraft earlier in the day permission

A bill for an act

relating to watercraft; allowing the use of personal watercraft earlier in the day;

amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 86B.313, subdivision 1.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 86B.313, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

General requirements.

(a) In addition to requirements of other laws

relating to watercraft, a person may not operate or permit the operation of a personal

watercraft:

(1) without each person on board the personal watercraft wearing a wearable personal

flotation device that is approved by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and has a USCG

label indicating the flotation device either is approved for or does not prohibit use with

personal watercraft;

(2) between one hour before sunset and
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9:30
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8:00
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a.m.;

(3) at greater than slow-no wake speed within 150 feet of:

(i) a shoreline;

(ii) a dock;

(iii) a swimmer;

(iv) a raft used for swimming or diving; or

(v) a moored, anchored, or nonmotorized watercraft;

(4) while towing a person on water skis, a kneeboard, an inflatable craft, or any other

device unless:

(i) an observer is on board; or

(ii) the personal watercraft is equipped with factory-installed or factory-specified

accessory mirrors that give the operator a wide field of vision to the rear;

(5) without the lanyard-type engine cutoff switch being attached to the person, clothing,

or personal flotation device of the operator, if the personal watercraft is equipped by the

manufacturer with such a device;

(6) if any part of the spring-loaded throttle mechanism has been removed, altered, or

tampered with so as to interfere with the return-to-idle system;

(7) to chase or harass wildlife;

(8) through emergent or floating vegetation at other than a slow-no wake speed;

(9) in a manner that unreasonably or unnecessarily endangers life, limb, or property,

including weaving through congested watercraft traffic, jumping the wake of another

watercraft within 150 feet of the other watercraft, or operating the watercraft while facing

backward;

(10) in any other manner that is not reasonable and prudent; or

(11) without a personal watercraft rules decal, issued by the commissioner, attached to

the personal watercraft so as to be in full view of the operator.

(b) Paragraph (a), clause (3), does not apply to a person operating a personal watercraft

to launch or land a person on water skis, a kneeboard, or similar device by the most direct

route to open water.