GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 508*

Short Title:  Upper Catawba/Personal Watercraft.	(Local)

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Sponsors: Representatives Brawley; Berry, Buchanan, Church, Kiser, Mitchell, and G. Wilson.

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Referred to:  Local and Regional Government II.

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March 12, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR ADDITIONAL REGULATION OF PERSONAL WATERCRAFT ON THE UPPER CATAWBA RIVER.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. Chapter 75A of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 75A-13.3.  Personal watercraft.
(a)	No person shall operate a personal watercraft on the waters of this State at any time between the hours from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise.  For purposes of this section, ‘personal watercraft' means a small vessel which uses an outboard or propeller-driven motor, or an inboard motor powering a water jet pump, as its primary source of motive power and which is designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling on, or being towed behind the vessel, rather than in the conventional manner of sitting or standing inside the vehicle.
(a1)	Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, no person under 16 years of age shall operate a personal watercraft on the waters of this State, nor shall the owner of a personal watercraft knowingly allow a person under the age of 16 to operate a personal watercraft. A person of at least 13 years of age but under 16 years of age may operate a personal watercraft on the waters of this State if:
(1)	The person is accompanied by a person of at least 16 years of age who physically occupies the watercraft; or
(2)	The person possesses a boating safety certificate or a photographic identification card certifying that the person has completed a boating safety course approved by the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary.