GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1995

H	2 

HOUSE BILL 554
Second Edition Engrossed 4/6/95

Short Title:  Water Safety Signal Flag.	(Public)

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Sponsors: Representatives Black; Brawley, Fitch, Hackney, Lemmond, Luebke, McMahan, Pulley, and Wainwright.

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Referred to:  Health and Environment.

─────────────────────────────────────── 

March 27, 1995

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR FLAGS TO SIGNAL THE PRESENCE OF SKIERS AND OTHER PERSONS IN THE WATER.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  This act shall be known as the Hirsch Water Safety Act.
Sec. 2.  G.S. 75A-13 reads as rewritten:
"§ 75A-13.  Water skis, surfboards, etc.
(a)	No person shall operate a vessel on any water of this State for towing a person or persons on water skis, or a surfboard, or similar device unless there is in such a vessel a person, in addition to the operator, in a position to observe the progress of the person or persons being towed or unless the skiers wear a life preserver or unless the boat is equipped with a rear view mirror.
(b)	No person shall operate a vessel on any water of this State towing a person or persons on water skis, a surfboard, or similar device, nor shall any person engage in water skiing, surfboarding, or similar activity at any time between the hours from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise.
	(b1)  No person shall operate a vessel on any water of this State towing a person or persons on water skis, a surfboard, or similar device without displaying a visible signal flag on the vessel.  The flag shall be of a color, pattern, material, and size specified by the Wildlife Resources Commission and shall be displayed in a manner required by the Commission unless the operation of such a vehicle is conducted on a private lake where there is no other watercraft being operated at the same time.
(c)	The provisions of subsections (a), (b), and (b1) of this section do not apply to a performer engaged in a professional exhibition or a person or persons engaged in an activity authorized under G.S. 75A-14.
(d)	No person shall operate or manipulate any vessel, tow rope, or  other device by which the direction or location of water skis, a surfboard, or similar device may be affected or controlled in such a way as to cause the water skis, surfboard, or similar device, or any person thereon to collide with any object or person."
Sec. 3.  This act becomes effective December 1, 1995.