Bill Text: VA HB2083 | 2021 | Regular Session | Prefiled
Bill Title: Wake surfing; proximity to certain structures or other persons.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-01-25 - Engrossment refused by House [HB2083 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2021-HB2083-Prefiled.html
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.