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HB 71 - Watercraft; speed near certain objects; minimum distance

Smith, Larry (109th)

Status Summary	HC:	GF&P	SC:		FR:	01/13/99	LA:	01/14/99	H - Read 2nd Time

First Reader Summary

A BILL to amend Code Section 52-7-18 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to rules of the road for boat traffic, so as to restrict the permissible speed of vessels within 50 feet of certain objects; and for other purposes.

HB 71                                              LC 21 5143 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                        A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 
                               AN ACT 
 
 
  1- 1  To amend Code Section 52-7-18 of the Official Code of 
  1- 2  Georgia Annotated, relating to rules of the road for boat 
  1- 3  traffic, so as to restrict the permissible speed of vessels 
  1- 4  within 50 feet of certain objects; to repeal conflicting 
  1- 5  laws; and for other purposes. 
 
  1- 6       BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: 
 
  1- 7                           SECTION 1. 
 
  1- 8  Code Section 52-7-18 of the Official Code of Georgia 
  1- 9  Annotated, relating to rules of the road for boat traffic, 
  1-10  is amended by striking in its entirety subsection (f) and 
  1-11  inserting in lieu thereof the following: 
 
  1-12    "(f) No person shall operate any vessel or tow a person or 
  1-13    persons on water skis, an aquaplane, a surfboard, or any 
  1-14    similar device on the waters of this state at a speed 
  1-15    greater than idle speed within 100 50 feet of any vessel 
  1-16    which is moored, anchored, or adrift outside normal 
  1-17    traffic  channels, or any wharf, dock, pier, piling, 
  1-18    bridge structure or abutment, person in the water, or 
  1-19    shoreline adjacent to a full-time or part-time residence, 
  1-20    public park, public beach, public swimming area, marina, 
  1-21    restaurant, or other public use area.  This subsection 
  1-22    shall not be interpreted to prohibit any person from 
  1-23    initiating or terminating water skiing from any wharf, 
  1-24    dock, or pier owned by such person or used by such person 
  1-25    with the permission of the owner of said wharf, dock, or 
  1-26    pier nor shall it be interpreted to prohibit the immediate 
  1-27    return of a tow vessel to a downed water skier." 
 
  1-28                           SECTION 2. 
 
  1-29  All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are 
  1-30  repealed. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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