Introduced Version
HOUSE BILL No. 1423
_____
DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL
Citations Affected: IC 14-8-2; IC 14-15.
Synopsis: Wake boarding and wake surfing. Specifies restrictions that
apply to wake boarding or wake surfing on a public freshwater lake.
Establishes a penalty. Specifies restrictions that apply to wake boarding
or wake surfing on a small lake. Prohibits operation of a motorboat
with: (1) an outboard motor; or (2) an outdrive unit; with a propeller
that extends past the motorboat's transom, swim platform, boarding
platform, swim step, or swim ladder for the purpose of wake surfing.
Effective: July 1, 2025.
Abbott
January 13, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources.
2025 IN 1423—LS 7348/DI 150 Introduced
First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025)
PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
between statutes enacted by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
HOUSE BILL No. 1423
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
natural and cultural resources.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1 SECTION 1. IC 14-8-2-222 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
2 FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 222. "Public freshwater
3 lake", for purposes of IC 14-15-3 and IC 14-26-2, has the meaning set
4 forth in IC 14-26-2-3.
5 SECTION 2. IC 14-8-2-301.1 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA
6 CODE AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS
7 [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 301.1. "Wake boarding" means
8 to:
9 (1) use a short board with or without foot bindings on which
10 a rider is towed by a motorboat across a wake; or
11 (2) operate a motorboat that creates a wake and that tows or
12 is intended to tow a person who uses a short board with or
13 without foot bindings on which the person is towed by the
14 motorboat across the motorboat's wake.
15 SECTION 3. IC 14-8-2-301.4 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA
16 CODE AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS
17 [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 301.4. "Wake surfing" means to:
2025 IN 1423—LS 7348/DI 150 2
1 (1) surf a wake, regardless of whether the person is being
2 pulled by a tow rope attached to the motorboat that is
3 producing the wake; or
4 (2) operate a motorboat that creates a wake that is or is
5 intended to be surfed by another person.
6 SECTION 4. IC 14-15-3-8.1 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
7 AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY
8 1, 2025]: Sec. 8.1. An individual shall not operate a motorboat on
9 a public freshwater lake for the purpose of wake boarding or wake
10 surfing during the period between sunset and sunrise.
11 SECTION 5. IC 14-15-3-10 IS AMENDED TO READ AS
12 FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 10. (a) Subject to
13 section 11 of this chapter, a person may not operate a motorboat upon
14 a small lake at a speed greater than ten (10) miles per hour.
15 (b) An individual may not operate a motorboat upon a small
16 lake while engaging in wake boarding or wake surfing unless it is
17 during the time and day of a speed exemption granted for the small
18 lake under section 11 of this chapter.
19 SECTION 6. IC 14-15-3-11.1 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA
20 CODE AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS
21 [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 11.1. A rule adopted under
22 section 11 of this chapter before July 1, 2025, applies to wake
23 boarding and wake surfing.
24 SECTION 7. IC 14-15-3-31, AS AMENDED BY P.L.195-2014,
25 SECTION 5, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
26 JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 31. (a) A person who violates section 2, 3, 5, 7, 8,
27 8.1, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, or 30 of this
28 chapter commits a Class C infraction.
29 (b) A person who knowingly or intentionally violates section 6 of
30 this chapter commits a Class C misdemeanor.
31 SECTION 8. IC 14-15-13-3, AS AMENDED BY P.L.164-2020,
32 SECTION 52, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
33 JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 3. An individual may not do the following:
34 (1) Operate a motorboat inboard or have the inboard engine of a
35 motorboat run idle while an individual is holding onto the swim
36 platform, swim deck, swim step, swim ladder or any part of the
37 exterior of the transom of a motorboat while the motorboat is
38 underway at any speed.
39 (2) Operate a motorboat powered by an outboard motor or
40 equipped with an outdrive unit while an individual is:
41 (A) holding onto the swim platform, swim deck, swim step,
42 swim ladder or any portion of the exterior of the transom of a
2025 IN 1423—LS 7348/DI 150 3
1 motorboat while the motorboat is underway at any speed; or
2 (B) swimming, or floating on or in the wake directly behind a
3 motorboat that is underway.
4 (3) Operate a motorboat with the number of individual riders on
5 a towed device that exceeds the listed capacity on the towed
6 device or the owner's manual.
7 (4) Operate a motorboat with an outdrive unit or outboard
8 motor with a propeller that extends past the motorboat's:
9 (A) transom;
10 (B) swim platform;
11 (C) boarding platform;
12 (D) swim step; or
13 (E) swim ladder;
14 for the purpose of wake surfing.
2025 IN 1423—LS 7348/DI 150