SF 1369

Introduction - 79th Legislature (1995 - 1996)

Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00 a.m.

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to watercraft; designating waterskiing as the 
  1.3             official state sport; establishing standards for 
  1.4             surface water use; amending Minnesota Statutes 1994, 
  1.5             section 86B.121; proposing coding for new law in 
  1.6             Minnesota Statutes, chapter 1. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [FINDINGS.] 
  1.9      The legislature recognizes that waterskiing, a sport that 
  1.10  was originated by Ralph Samuelson of Mazeppa in the summer of 
  1.11  1922 on Lake Pepin at Lake City, is now enjoyed by approximately 
  1.12  16.5 million Americans and is about to be designated as a class 
  1.13  A Olympic sport.  In recognition of waterskiing's Minnesota 
  1.14  roots, the legislature finds it appropriate to designate it as 
  1.15  the state's official sport. 
  1.16     Sec. 2.  [1.1497] [STATE SPORT.] 
  1.17     Waterskiing is adopted as the official sport of the state 
  1.18  of Minnesota. 
  1.19     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 86B.121, is 
  1.20  amended to read: 
  1.21     86B.121 [RACES, COMPETITIONS, AND EXHIBITIONS.] 
  1.22     (a) A person may not hold or sponsor any scheduled or 
  1.23  public race, regatta, tournament or other competition or 
  1.24  exhibition, or trial race on water or ice, whether or not 
  1.25  involving watercraft, without first having obtained a written 
  1.26  permit from the sheriff of the county where the event is to 
  2.1   originate.  
  2.2      (b) The sheriff, in the permit, may exempt watercraft from 
  2.3   any of the provisions of this chapter relating to the licensing, 
  2.4   operation, and equipment of watercraft while participating in 
  2.5   the event authorized.  
  2.6      (c) A person holding or sponsoring an event described in 
  2.7   paragraph (a) shall obtain insurance covering participants.  The 
  2.8   policy must list the county in which the event is to take place 
  2.9   as a coinsured party. 
  2.10     Sec. 4.  [CONSULTATION.] 
  2.11     The commissioner of natural resources shall consult with 
  2.12  the Minnesota water ski association in developing the guidelines 
  2.13  required by Minnesota Statutes, section 86B.205, and in adopting 
  2.14  rules under Minnesota Statutes, section 86B.211, relating to 
  2.15  safety, use of surface waters, procedures for county sheriffs, 
  2.16  standards and criteria for resolving conflicts in the use of 
  2.17  water surfaces, procedures for dealing with problems involving 
  2.18  more than one local governmental unit, and procedures for local 
  2.19  enforcement.  The guidelines and rules must, to the greatest 
  2.20  extent feasible, provide for uniform standards, procedures, and 
  2.21  criteria throughout the state.  The Minnesota water ski 
  2.22  association must be represented on any advisory committee or 
  2.23  similar body that might be appointed by the commissioner to deal 
  2.24  with issues listed in this section.  
  2.25     Sec. 5.  [SKI SITE.] 
  2.26     The commissioner of natural resources, in consultation with 
  2.27  the Minnesota water ski association, shall study the 
  2.28  feasibility, including the economic feasibility, and the 
  2.29  potential benefits of developing a waterskiing site suitable for 
  2.30  national- and international-level competition and instruction.