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IA SF548
IA SF548A bill for an act relating to the use of personal flotation devices on personal watercraft.(Formerly SF 108.)
summary
Introduced
03/06/2025
03/06/2025
In Committee
03/10/2026
03/10/2026
Crossed Over
03/09/2026
03/09/2026
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
91st General Assembly
Bill Summary
This bill relates to the use of personal flotation devices on personal watercraft. The bill requires all persons on board a personal watercraft to wear a personal flotation device. The bill provides an exception to the personal flotation device requirement when the person is at least 18 years of age and the personal watercraft is traveling at 10 miles per hour or less or is in a no-wake zone. Under current administrative rules, all operators and passengers of personal watercraft must wear a specified personal flotation device. A “personal watercraft” means a vessel, less than 16 feet in length, which is propelled by a water jet pump or similar machinery as its primary source of motor propulsion and is designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling on the vessel, rather than being operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling inside the vessel. A person in violation of the personal flotation device requirement is guilty of a simple misdemeanor punishable by a scheduled fine of $30.
AI Summary
This bill modifies existing Iowa law regarding personal flotation device (PFD) requirements for personal watercraft, mandating that all persons on board must wear a Coast Guard-approved Type I, II, III, or V PFD (including a "float coat") while the watercraft is in motion. The bill provides a specific exception for passengers who are 18 years of age or older when the watercraft is traveling at 10 miles per hour or less or is in a no-wake zone. Personal watercraft are defined as vessels less than 16 feet long that are propelled by a water jet pump and designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling on the vessel. Violating this requirement would result in a simple misdemeanor with a $30 fine. The legislation aims to enhance safety for personal watercraft users by ensuring consistent use of appropriate flotation devices, while offering a limited exemption for adult passengers under specific speed and zone conditions.
Committee Categories
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Sponsors (0)
No sponsors listed
Other Sponsors (1)
Natural Resources And Environment (Senate)
Last Action
Read first time, referred to Natural Resources. H.J. 630. (on 03/10/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=SF548 |
| BillText | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/attachments/SF548.html |
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