House Bill No. 756, introduced by Representative Fontenot, amends several provisions related to the operation and regulation of personal watercraft in Louisiana. The bill modifies the language surrounding the careless operation of watercraft, changing terms such as "right-of-way" to "give way" and "collision" to "boating incident." It also updates the requirements for motorboats to yield to sailing vessels and mandates that all mechanically propelled vessels operate at a safe speed when near swimmers. Additionally, the bill raises the threshold for reporting property damage from $500 to $2,000 and requires notification in cases of complete vessel loss.

Furthermore, the bill enhances enforcement provisions by stipulating that wildlife agents and peace officers can only stop or board vessels if they have reasonable suspicion of a violation. It also clarifies the definition of personal watercraft to include vessels using other machinery as a primary power source and mandates that all individuals on a personal watercraft wear a personal flotation device, prohibiting operators from allowing anyone without one to board. The use of inflatable flotation devices is specified as non-compliant with this requirement. Overall, the bill aims to improve safety and regulatory measures for personal watercraft operation in Louisiana.

Statutes affected:
HB756 Original: 34:4(A)(2), 34:3(A)
HB756 Engrossed: 34:4(A)(2), 34:3(A)