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2021 SESSION

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21102595D
HOUSE BILL NO. 2083 Offered January 13, 2021 Prefiled January 12, 2021 A BILL to amend and reenact § 29.1-742 of the Code of Virginia, relating to wake surfing; proximity to certain structures or other persons. ---------- Patrons-- Byron and Poindexter ---------- 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 water skis, surfboards, 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 device 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 wear life preservers.

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 device, nor shall any person engage in water skiing or a similar 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 inland lake that is more than 500 feet above sea level and of 20,000 acres or more in size, and wholly located within the Commonwealth, while accompanied by a person or persons engaged in wake surfing within 200 feet of a dock, pier, boathouse, boat ramp, or other person in the water.

D. The provisions of 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.