House Bill 940 amends Tennessee Code Annotated, specifically Section 69-9-505, by increasing the age requirement for operating personal watercraft from "twelve (12)" to "sixteen (16)." This change aims to ensure that individuals operating personal watercraft are of a more mature age, potentially enhancing safety on the waters of Tennessee.

Additionally, the bill introduces a new provision that makes it unlawful for any person to own or operate a personal watercraft without proof of financial responsibility, as specified in 55-12-102(12)(D)(i). This requirement is intended to ensure that operators are financially accountable in the event of an accident or damage caused while operating the watercraft. The changes in Section 1 take effect immediately upon becoming law, while the new financial responsibility requirement in Section 2 will take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 69-9-505