Bill Text: TX HB337 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Comm Sub
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the use of emergency engine cutoff switches on motorboats; creating a criminal offense.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2019-06-14 - Effective on 9/1/19 [HB337 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB337-Comm_Sub.html
Bill Title: Relating to the use of emergency engine cutoff switches on motorboats; creating a criminal offense.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2019-06-14 - Effective on 9/1/19 [HB337 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB337-Comm_Sub.html
By: Larson (Senate Sponsor - Campbell) | H.B. No. 337 | |
(In the Senate - Received from the House March 27, 2019; | ||
April 1, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on Water & | ||
Rural Affairs; April 25, 2019, reported favorably by the following | ||
vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; April 25, 2019, sent to printer.) | ||
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relating to the use of emergency engine cutoff switches on | ||
motorboats. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 31, Parks and Wildlife | ||
Code, is amended by adding Section 31.1071 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 31.1071. OPERATION OF MOTORBOAT WITH EMERGENCY ENGINE | ||
CUTOFF SWITCH. (a) In this section, "engine cutoff switch" means | ||
an emergency switch installed on a motorboat that: | ||
(1) is designed to shut off the engine if: | ||
(A) the motorboat operator using a lanyard | ||
attachment activates the switch by falling overboard or otherwise | ||
moving beyond the length of the lanyard; or | ||
(B) the motorboat operator or a passenger using a | ||
wireless attachment activates the switch by falling overboard and | ||
submerging a man-overboard transmitter; and | ||
(2) attaches: | ||
(A) physically to the motorboat operator through | ||
the use of a lanyard worn by the operator; or | ||
(B) wirelessly through the use of a | ||
water-activated man-overboard transmitter worn by the motorboat | ||
operator or any similarly equipped passenger on the motorboat. | ||
(b) A motorboat operator may not operate a motorboat less | ||
than 26 feet in length and equipped by the manufacturer with an | ||
engine cutoff switch while the engine is running and the motorboat | ||
is underway without first verifying that the switch is operational | ||
and fully functional and: | ||
(1) if using a lanyard attachment, properly attaching | ||
the lanyard, as appropriate for the specific motorboat, to the | ||
operator's body or to the clothing or personal flotation device | ||
being worn by the operator; or | ||
(2) if using a wireless attachment, properly attaching | ||
to each individual on the motorboat an operational man-overboard | ||
transmitter. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. | ||
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