SF3961

Purpose

• Update Minnesota law on personal watercraft (PWC) to adjust when and how PWCs can be operated, while adding safety and operational requirements. The bill aims to permit use earlier in the day under new safety rules and to refine rules around navigation, equipment, and operator conduct.

Main Provisions

• General safety requirement for passengers

  • Each person on a personal watercraft must wear a wearable personal flotation device (PFD) approved by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and with a USCG label showing the device is approved for use with personal watercraft.

• Time and proximity restrictions

  • Operation of a personal watercraft is restricted to certain hours relative to sunset (and a morning time window, per the text) and must avoid certain dangers.
  • When within 150 feet of certain features or people, operators must adhere to safety rules, including maintaining a slow-no-wake speed near:
  • a shoreline
  • a dock
  • a swimmer
  • a raft used for swimming or diving
  • a moored, anchored, or nonmotorized watercraft

• Tow operations (water-skiing, kneeboarding, etc.)

  • If towing a person on water skis, a kneeboard, an inflatable craft, or similar device, one of the following must be true:
  • an observer is on board, or
  • the PWC is equipped with factory-installed or factory-specified rearward visibility mirrors if the device has them, and the operator must not rely on safety gear (like a lanyard) attached to a person’s clothing or life jacket.

• Safety and equipment integrity

  • The throttle mechanism must not be altered or tampered with in a way that interferes with the return-to-idle system.
  • The presence and use of a lanyard-type engine cutoff switch (where the manufacturer provides one) should be considered, including whether it is attached to the operator’s clothing or PFD as applicable.

• Prohibited conduct and safety expectations

  • The bill adds prohibitions on:
  • chasing or harassing wildlife
  • traveling through emergent or floating vegetation at speeds other than slow-no-wake
  • unreasonably endangering life, limbs, or property
  • weaving through congested watercraft traffic
  • jumping the wake of another watercraft within 150 feet
  • operating the PWC while facing backward
  • operating in any manner that is not reasonable and prudent
  • The PWC must display a rules decal issued by the commissioner in full view of the operator.

• Exception to the rules

  • The new restrictions do not apply to the launch or landing of a person on water skis, a kneeboard, or a similar device by the most direct route to open water.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Operating hours: The bill changes when a PWC can be operated, introducing or modifying a time window around sunset and morning hours to permit earlier use than currently allowed (subject to safety rules).
• Enhanced safety equipment: Reaffirms and tightens requirements for PFDs (USCG-approved, properly labeled) and adds visibility and safety requirements for towing operations (e.g., rear-view mirrors if applicable).
• Added enforcement provisions: Introduces or reinforces decals and specific behavioral prohibitions (wildlife harassment, unsafe navigation, reckless wake behavior).
• Tampering and safety device integrity: Prohibits altering throttle mechanisms in a way that would defeat safe idle return, and ties safety to manufacturer-provided gear (like lanyard switches and mirrors) where applicable.
• Clearer operating behavior standards: Adds explicit prohibitions around dangerous maneuvers and near-people/structures to reduce risk.

Potential Impacts (What this could mean in practice)

• Operators and passengers will have to ensure USCG-approved PFDs are worn at all times on PWCs.
• PWCs may be allowed to operate during a broader or differently defined window around sunset/morning hours, but with stricter rules about proximity to people, docks, and hazards.
• Additional equipment (rear mirrors for towing, decals) and checks may be required to comply.
• More explicit rules against risky maneuvers could lead to increased enforcement and potential penalties for violations.

Relevant Terms - personal watercraft (PWC) - USCG (United States Coast Guard) - wearable personal flotation device (PFD) - USCG-approved / USCG label - slow-no-wake - shoreline - dock - swimmer - raft (for swimming or diving) - moored/anchored/nonmotorized watercraft - water ski / kneeboard / inflatable craft (towed devices) - observer - factory-installed mirrors / rear visibility - lanyard / engine cutoff switch - spring-loaded throttle / return-to-idle - wildlife harassment - emergent vegetation - wake-jumping - decal (PWC rules decal) - commissioner (rule issuance)