SB 1065 - This act rewrites Section 306.125 (careless and imprudent operation of a vessel or watercraft). This act prohibits vessels that are 30 feet in length or greater from being operated within 300 feet of any dock, pier, occupied anchored boat, or occupied anchored vessel or watercraft at a speed in excess of slow-no wake speed. Vessels less than 30 feet in length are prohibited from being operated within 100 feet of any dock, pier, occupied anchored vessel or watercraft at a speed in excess of slow-no wake speed. This act modifies the abandonment of a boat dock law (Section 306.903) so that the infraction will apply to the waters of this state. Under current law, the abandonment of a boat dock infraction only applies to lakes having at least 950 miles of aggregate shoreline.
The act also requires persons owning boat docks on specified lakes (lakes having at least 950 miles of shoreline and lakes constructed or maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) to display certain identifying information on the dock. The identifying information shall include a permit number and the applicable 911 address nearest to the dock by land. This requirement does not become effective until January 1, 2010. A person commits the infraction of failure to display identifying information on a boat dock if he or she knowingly violates the display provisions.
STEPHEN WITTE