GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2005

SESSION LAW 2005-161

HOUSE BILL 702

AN ACT to INCREASE the MINIMUM age for persons who may OPERATE PERSONAL watercraft in the state.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 75A-13.3(b) reads as rewritten:

"(b)      Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, no person under 16 years of age shall operate a personal watercraft on the waters of this State, and it is unlawful for the owner of a personal watercraft or a person who has temporary or permanent responsibility for a person under the age of 16 to knowingly allow that person to operate a personal watercraft. A person of at least 12 14 years of age but under 16 years of age may operate a personal watercraft on the waters of this State if:

(1)       The person is accompanied by a person of at least 18 years of age who physically occupies the watercraft; or

(2)       The person (i) possesses on his or her person while operating the watercraft, identification showing proof of age and a boater safety certification card issued by the Wildlife Resources Commission or proof of other satisfactory completion of a boating safety education course approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA); and (ii) produces that identification and certification card upon the request of an officer of the Wildlife Resources Commission or local law enforcement agency."

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective November 1, 2005.  The age requirement of 14 years of age in this act does not apply to persons who are 12 years of age or older prior to November 1, 2005.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 28^th day of June, 2005.

                                                                    s/ Marc Basnight

                                                                         President Pro Tempore of the Senate

                                                                    s/ James B. Black

                                                                         Speaker of the House of Representatives

                                                                    s/ Michael F. Easley

                                                                         Governor

Approved 11:48 a.m. this 7^th day of July, 2005