By Alexander                                          H.B. No. 3107
         77R4217 SGA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to requiring occupants of certain boats to wear a
 1-3     lifesaving device.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 31.066, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 31.066.  LIFESAVING [LIFE PRESERVING] DEVICES. (a)  A
 1-8     motorboat must have at least one Coast Guard approved lifesaving
 1-9     device [life preserver, life belt, ring buoy, or other device of
1-10     the sort prescribed by the regulations of the commandant of the
1-11     Coast Guard] for each person on board, so placed as to be readily
1-12     accessible.
1-13           (b)  A motorboat carrying passengers for hire must have at
1-14     least one readily accessible Coast Guard approved lifesaving device
1-15     [a readily accessible life preserver of the sort prescribed by the
1-16     regulations of the commandant of the Coast Guard] for each person
1-17     on board.
1-18           (c)  The operator of a class A or class 1 motorboat, while
1-19     underway, shall wear and require every occupant of the boat
1-20     [passenger under 13 years of age] to wear a Coast Guard approved
1-21     lifesaving device [life preserver of the sort prescribed by the
1-22     regulations of the commandant of the Coast Guard].  A life belt or
1-23     ring buoy does not satisfy this requirement.
1-24           SECTION 2. Section 31.073(a), Parks and Wildlife Code, is
 2-1     amended to read as follows:
 2-2           (a)  All canoes, kayaks, punts, rowboats, sailboats, and
 2-3     rubber rafts, or any vessels less than 26 feet in length, when
 2-4     paddled, poled, oared, [or] windblown, or floating with the
 2-5     current, are exempt from all safety equipment requirements except
 2-6     the following:
 2-7                 (1)  each vessel shall be equipped with:
 2-8                       (A)  one Coast Guard approved lifesaving device
 2-9     for each person aboard; and
2-10                       (B) [(2)]  the lights prescribed by the
2-11     commandant of the Coast Guard for class A vessels and required
2-12     under Section 31.064; and
2-13                 (2)  each person aboard shall wear a lifesaving device
2-14     while the vessel is underway.
2-15           SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.