HB6483 Summary

• Eliminates the requirement for persons operating, riding on, or being towed by personal watercraft to wear personal flotation devices (PFDs), declaring any state or local law requiring such wear invalid and unenforceable.

• Removes the prohibition on inflatable personal flotation devices and instead allows any type I, type II, or type III PFD if individuals choose to wear one.

• Retains requirements that children under 7 years of age must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or designee; engine cutoff switch lanyards must be attached; and operation is prohibited between sunset and 8 a.m.

• Maintains restrictions on operating personal watercraft in shallow water (less than 2 feet depth) except at slow-no wake speed or when docking/launching, and preserves the 150-foot crossing distance rule behind other vessels.

• Repeals MCL 324.80142 as a conforming change to the amendments.