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A4059 • 2026

Establishes certain exceptions for emergency personnel operating personal watercraft while providing rescue services.

Establishes certain exceptions for emergency personnel operating personal watercraft while providing rescue services.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Sauickie, Alex
Last action
2026-02-12
Official status
Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Establishes certain exceptions for emergency personnel operating personal watercraft while providing rescue services.

Establishes certain exceptions for emergency personnel operating personal watercraft while providing rescue services.

What This Bill Does

  • Establishes certain exceptions for emergency personnel operating personal watercraft while providing rescue services.
  • Topic: Public Safety and Preparedness Fiscal note: This bill has not been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-12 New Jersey Legislature

    Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee

Official Summary Text

Establishes certain exceptions for emergency personnel operating personal watercraft while providing rescue services.
Topic:
Public Safety and Preparedness
Fiscal note:
This bill has not been certified by OLS for a fiscal note.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
A4059

ASSEMBLY, No. 4059

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 12, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� ALEX SAUICKIE

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes certain exceptions for emergency
personnel operating personal watercraft while providing rescue services.�

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning personal watercrafts and amending
P.L.1993, c.299.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.���
Section 2 of P.L.1993, c.299 (C.12:7-63) is amended to read as follows:

���� 2.��� A person shall not
operate a personal watercraft:

���� a.���� On the waters of this
State between sunset and sunrise, or during any time of restricted visibility
as determined by an agent or officer of the Marine
[
Law Enforcement
]

Service

Bureau, Division of State Police;

���� b.��� Within the confines of
the Point Pleasant Canal in the County of Ocean, or the Cape May Canal in the
County of Cape May;

���� c.���� Above minimum headway
speed within 100 feet of:

���� (1)�� Buoys or signs that mark
the boundaries of a swimming area;

���� (2)�� The shoreline;

���� (3)�� Any person in the water;
or

���� (4)�� Residential dwelling
units; or

���� d.��� In such a manner as to
make the vessel completely leave the water or otherwise become airborne within
100 feet of another vessel.

����
e.���� The provisions of
this section shall not apply to any of the following persons while in actual
performance of their official duties: a law enforcement officer, a member of a
paid, part paid, or volunteer fire department, a member of a State, county, or
municipal beach patrol, or a person trained and certified or licensed to
provide emergency medical care, whether on a paid or volunteer basis.�

(cf: P.L.2009, c.108, s.1)

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.�

STATEMENT

���� This bill affords emergency
personnel certain exceptions under the law while operating a personal water
craft, often referred to as a jet ski, in performance of official duties. Under
current law, jet ski operators are prohibited from exceeding minimum headway
speed within 100 feet of the shoreline, buoys or signs that mark the boundaries
of a swimming area, any person in the water, or residential dwelling units.�
Jet ski operators are also prohibited from operating the vessel in manner that
makes it airborne within 100 feet of another vessel.�

���� This bill waives these
requirements for any law enforcement officer, a member of a fire department, a
member of a State, county or municipal beach patrol, or emergency medical
services personnel who are operating a jet ski while in actual performance of
their official duties.