WATER SKIING – Amends existing law to provide an exception for water skiing.
Summary
House Bill 887 amends Idaho’s water skiing statute to create a new exception to the requirement that a vessel towing a skier have an additional competent observer on board. Under the bill, the observer requirement does not apply if the vessel is equipped with a properly mounted large rearview mirror that allows the operator to see the skier at all times, and the vessel is either operating in a legal slalom course with the required mirror or is operating during specified daylight hours outside the summer morning restriction. The bill also makes technical corrections to the existing water skiing law.
The measure retains the core safety rules already in Idaho law for towing skiers and similar devices. It continues to prohibit towing during nighttime hours, requires careful and prudent operation at a reasonable distance from persons and property, prohibits dangerous towrope manipulation, and keeps the warning-flag requirement for downed skiers or other imminent danger situations. The bill includes an emergency clause, making it effective immediately upon passage and approval.
Impact
The bill narrows Idaho Code section 67-7024 by adding an alternative compliance path for vessels towing water skiers, aquaplanes, or similar devices, reducing the need for a dedicated observer in certain circumstances. It affects vessel operators, water ski participants, and enforcement of boating safety rules by allowing mirror-equipped boats to operate without an onboard observer under the conditions specified in the amendment. The bill also preserves existing restrictions on towing at night and other safety obligations, while making technical revisions to the statute.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It passed the House 64-0 and the Senate 32-0, indicating unanimous support in both chambers. The lack of recorded committee discussion suggests the measure was viewed as a straightforward technical and safety-related update rather than a contested policy change.
Contention
No significant opposition is reflected in the available record. The only potentially notable issue is the policy tradeoff between convenience for boat operators and maintaining safety through an onboard observer; the bill addresses that concern by requiring a large, firmly mounted mirror and limiting the exception to specified operating conditions. Because the votes were unanimous and there were no committee transcripts, there is no evidence of substantive disagreement among legislators or stakeholders in the available materials.
Amends existing law to establish requirements regarding the vacation of public rights-of-way that furnish access to state or federal public lands or waters.