Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Lawmakers consider tighter safety rules for personal watercraft; industry and dealers urge caution
Summary
Representative Will Darby presented HB 582 to tighten safety requirements for modern personal watercraft (PWCs), including operator age and PFD use. Marine trade groups, dealers and manufacturers opposed reclassification and said existing laws and enforcement are preferable to new, PWC‑specific mandates.
CONCORD — Representative Will Darby opened the hearing on House Bill 582, saying the bill is narrowly focused on safety measures for modern personal watercraft (PWCs) and is not intended to restrict lawful use or access to lakes.
“Many of my friends own jet skis,” Darby said, and described PWC performance: “Some can accelerate to 60 miles an hour in under 4 seconds… These are effectively motorcycles on water.” He proposed aligning PWC safety requirements with manufacturer guidance, including requiring operators to be at least 16 years old, mandating personal flotation device (PFD) wear while operating and prohibiting operation between sunset and sunrise.
Darby said he worked with the…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
