5109: FLOOR SUMMARY (Date Completed: 2-23-12) - PERSONAL WATERCRAFT: FLOTATION DEVICE

PERSONAL WATERCRAFT: FLOTATION DEVICE H.B. 5109: FLOOR SUMMARY
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House Bill 5109 (as reported by the Committee of the Whole)
Sponsor: Representative Nancy Jenkins
House Committee: Natural Resources, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation
Senate Committee: Outdoor Recreation and Tourism

CONTENT
The bill would amend Part 802 (Personal Watercraft) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to eliminate age-specific requirements regarding the use of a personal flotation device (PFD) by a person riding on or being towed behind a personal watercraft, and require each person to wear a type I, II, or III PFD.

Under Part 802, a person may not operate a personal watercraft unless each person who is at least 12 years old riding on or being towed behind the watercraft is wearing a type I, II, or III PFD, and each person under the age of 12 is wearing a type I or type II PFD. The bill would delete these provisions. Instead, a person could not operate a personal watercraft unless each person riding on or being towed behind it were wearing a type I, II, or III PFD.

The bill would take effect on November 1, 2012.

MCL 324.80205 Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy

FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have a negligible fiscal impact on State and local government. Because the bill would allow boaters under 12 to wear type III personal floatation devices (as opposed to only type I or II), it is possible that fewer boaters would be found guilty of a misdemeanor for violating Part 802, which could result in a small decrease in penal fine revenue for public libraries and incarceration costs for local units of government.

Date Completed: 2-23-12 Fiscal Analyst: Dan O'Connor Josh Sefton

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. hb5109/1112