Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has signed watersports legislation that includes strengthening safety and increasing access opportunities for wakesurfing and wakeboarding. It follows legislation recently enacted in South Carolina and Tennessee.
The National Marine Manufacturers Association, Water Sports Industry Association, Yamaha and other industry stakeholders joined Kemp for a signing ceremony.
“We appreciate the leadership of Gov. Kemp and the Georgia General Assembly in passing this legislation,” Ben Murray, manager of Southeast Policy & Engagement for NMMA, said in a statement. “This commonsense legislation enhances safety and maintains the ability for every user group to share the states’ waterways while alleviating environmental impact concerns.”
Introduced by state Rep. Victor Anderson (R) and sponsored by Senate President Pro Tempore John Kennedy (R), the law enhances safety requirements for wakesports by:
• Requiring operators to stay at least 200 feet from any moored vessel, wharf, dock, pier, piling or bridge structure or abutment; and any shoreline adjacent to a full-time or part-time residence, public park, public beach, public swimming area, marina, restaurant or other public-use area.
• Riders engaging in towed watersports must wear a personal flotation device.
• Prohibits wakesurfing and wakeboarding between sunset and sunrise.
The bill exempts “intracoastal waterways, rivers or private lakes, as well as any regatta, boat race, marine parade, tournament or exhibition for which the commissioner of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has granted marine event permit,” according to the release.
