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2018 SESSION

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18101519D
HOUSE BILL NO. 1229 Offered January 10, 2018 Prefiled January 10, 2018 A BILL to amend and reenact § 29.1-742 of the Code of Virginia, relating to towing a person on water skis, etc. ---------- Patron-- Hayes ---------- Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 29.1-742 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 29.1-742. Towing person on water skis, surfboard, wakeboard, etc.

A. No person shall operate a vessel on any waters of the Commonwealth for while towing a person or persons on water skis, a surfboard, or a similar other device, or while engaged in any water sport in which a person accompanies a vessel with or without a rope as permitted by § 29.1-744.3, unless there is in the vessel a person, in addition to the operator, in a position to observe the progress of the person or persons being towed or unless the skier or skiers accompanying the vessel. Each person being towed or accompanying the vessel shall wear life preservers an approved personal flotation device.

B. No person shall operate a vessel on any water waters of the Commonwealth while towing a person or persons on water skis, a surfboard, or a similar other device or while engaged in any water sport in which a person accompanies a vessel with or without a rope as permitted by § 29.1-744.3, nor shall any person engage in water skiing or a similar such activity, at any time between the hours from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise. The provisions of this subsection shall not constitute a defense to any provision of § 29.1-738.

C. No person shall operate a vessel on any waters of the Commonwealth while towing a person or persons on water skis, a surfboard, or other device, or while engaged in any water sport in which a person accompanies a vessel with or without a rope as permitted by § 29.1-744.3, including wake surfing, within 150 feet of a dock, pier, boathouse, boat ramp, or other person in the water.

The D. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 29.1-744.3, subsections A and B of this section do shall not apply to a performer engaged in a professional exhibition.

D. E. No person shall operate or manipulate any vessel, towrope, or other device by which the direction or location of water skis, a surfboard, or a similar device may be affected or controlled in such a way as to cause the water skis, surfboard, or similar device, or any person upon the device, to collide with any object or person.