1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to natural resources; requiring life jackets for children aboard watercraft
1.3 to have reflective material; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 86B.501,
1.4 subdivision 3.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 86B.501, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
1.7 Subd. 3.Grant Allen Law; life jacket required for children.(a) No person may operate
1.8a watercraft under way with a child under ten years of age aboard unless the child is:
1.9 (1) wearing an appropriate personal flotation device approved under subdivision 1; or
1.10 (2) below the top deck or in an enclosed cabin.
1.11 (b) Paragraph (a) does not apply to commercial watercraft where the child is a passenger
1.12and the operator is licensed by the state of Minnesota or the United States Coast Guard to
1.13carry passengers for hire. Paragraph (a) also does not apply if the watercraft is anchored for
1.14the purpose of swimming or diving.
1.15 (c) A first violation of this subdivision prior to May 1, 2006, shall not result in a penalty,
1.16but is punishable only by a safety warning.
1.17 (d) Any (c) A violation other than a violation addressed in paragraph (c) of this
1.18subdivision is to be considered a petty misdemeanor.
1.19 (d) Beginning January 1, 2027, a personal flotation device required under this subdivision
1.20must have at least 31 square inches of retroreflective material attached to its front side, at
1.21least 31 square inches of retroreflective material on its back side, and, if the item is reversible,
1.22at least 31 square inches of retroreflective material on each of its reversible sides. The
1Section 1.
REVISOR CKM/VJ 25-0448502/28/25
State of Minnesota
This Document can be made available
in alternative formats upon request
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
H. F. No. 2419
NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
Authored by Tabke, Stephenson and Fischer03/17/2025
The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy 2.1retroreflective material attached on each side of the device must be divided equally between
2.2the upper quadrants of the side, and the retroreflective material in each quadrant must be
2.3attached as closely as possible to the shoulder area of the item.
2.4 (e) Before May 1, 2028, and notwithstanding paragraph (c), a first violation of paragraph
2.5(d) does not result in a penalty, but is punishable only by a safety warning.
2Section 1.
REVISOR CKM/VJ 25-0448502/28/25