94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
HB2399


 
Introduced 2/16/2005, by Rep. Ron Stephens
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 		















625 ILCS 45/5-14  from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 315-9








    Amends the Boat Registration and Safety Act. Provides that a  person may not operate a motorboat that has in tow or is otherwise assisting a person on water skis, an aquaplane, or a similar contrivance in or upon any waterway, unless (i) there is in the motor boat a person, in addition to the operator, in a position to observe the progress of the person being towed or (ii) the operator is at least 25 years of age and the motor boat is equipped with a ski mirror approved by the Department of Natural Resources. Provides that the Director of Natural Resources must adopt rules for implementing the mirror requirement.
















LRB094 10691 DRH 41080 b

















 


 


A BILL FOR









 











HB2399

LRB094 10691 DRH 41080 b






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    AN ACT concerning transportation.

 
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    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
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represented in the General Assembly:


 
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    Section 5.   The Boat Registration and Safety Act is amended 
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by changing
Section 5-14 as follows:


 



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    (625 ILCS 45/5-14)
  (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 315-9)



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    Sec. 5-14. Water Skiing. 

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    A. No person may operate a motorboat that has in tow or is

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otherwise
assisting a person on water skis, an aquaplane, or a 
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similar
contrivance in or
upon any waterway, unless the 
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motorboat has a capacity of at
least 3 persons and is occupied 
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by at least 2
competent persons.

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    A-1. A person may not operate a motorboat that has in tow 
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or is otherwise
assisting a person on water skis, an aquaplane, 
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or a similar contrivance in or
upon any waterway, unless (i) 
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there is in the motorboat a person, in addition to
the 
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operator, in a position to observe the progress of the person 
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being towed or (ii) the  operator is at least 25 years of age 
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and the motorboat is equipped with a ski
mirror approved by the 
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Department, mounted in a location inside the
motorboat allowing 
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the operator to observe the progress of the person being
towed 
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while also safely and legally operating the motorboat. The 
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mirror
shall be of a type that recurves and reflects 180 
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degrees of vision. The
reflecting portion of the mirror must be 
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no less than 3 inches in height and 8
inches in width.

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    The Director of Natural Resources shall adopt rules for 
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implementing the mirror requirement  of this
subsection A-1.

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    B. No person may operate a motorboat having in tow or 
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otherwise be
assisting a person on water skis, aquaplane or 
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similar contrivance from the
period of one-half hour after 
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sunset to one-half hour before sunrise. This
paragraph B does 
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not apply to motorboats used in duly authorized water ski

 


 






HB2399
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LRB094 10691 DRH 41080 b




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tournaments, competitions, exhibitions or trials therefor 
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where adequate
lighting is provided.

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    C. All persons operating a motorboat having in tow or 
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otherwise
assisting a person on water skis, aquaplane or 
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similar contrivance, must be
careful and prudent in their 
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operation and keep at a reasonable distance
from persons and 
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property so as not to endanger the life or property of any

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person.

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    D. No person may operate or manipulate any vessel, tow rope 
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or other
device by which the direction or location of water 
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skis, aquaplane, or
similar device may be affected or 
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controlled in such a way as to cause the
water skis, aquaplane, 
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or similar device, or any persons thereon to collide
with or 
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strike against any person or object, except ski jumps, buoys 
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and
like objects normally used in competitive or recreational 
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skiing.

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(Source: P.A. 90-412, eff. 1-1-98.)