HB2668--JETSKIPILOTPROGRAMFORLAKEOFTHEOZARKS
SPONSOR: Thomas
Thisbillcreatesthe"MissouriPatrolonWaveRunners(MO-POWR)
TaskForce",forthepurposeofestablishingalawenforcementand
firstresponderpersonalwatercraftpatrolintheLakeofthe
Ozarks.Thetaskforcewillincludevotingandnonvotingmembers.
Votingmembersinclude,amongothers:twomembersoftheSenate,
onetobeappointedbythePresidentProTemoftheSenateandone
tobeappointedbytheMinorityFloorLeaderoftheSenate;two
membersoftheHouseofRepresentatives, onetobeappointedbythe
SpeakeroftheHouseandonetobeappointedbytheMinorityFloor
LeaderoftheHouse;andrepresentatives fromspecifiedlaw
enforcementagenciesandfireprotectiondistricts. Nonvoting
membersincludearepresentative fromtheMissouriStateHighway
Patrol(MSHP),WaterPatrolDivision;arepresentative fromthe
DepartmentofPublicSafety;andamemberofthegeneralpublic.
ThetaskforcemustholditsinitialmeetingpriortoOctober1,
2024,anditsmemberswillservewithoutcompensation. Thetask
forcewillemploylawenforcementofficersandfirstrespondersto
activelypatroltheLakeoftheOzarksonpersonalwatercrafts,and
thedutiesofthepersonalwatercraftpatrolaredescribedinthe
bill.Thetaskforcewillestablishapersonalwatercraftpatrol
trainingprogram,andthetaskforcewillestablishmembership
requirementsforparticipatinginthepatrol.
TheWaterPatrolDivisionoftheStateHighwayPatrolwillremain
theprincipallawenforcemententityontheLakeoftheOzarksand
thepersonalwatercraftpatrolwillcooperatewiththeWaterPatrol
inallpersonalwatercraftpatrolactivitiesconductedontheLake
oftheOzarks.Membersofthepersonalwatercraftpatrolwhoare
lawenforcementofficerswillhavethepowerofarrestandwill
carryfirearmswhileserving.
Thebillcreatesthe"MissouriPatrolonWaveRunnersTaskForce
Fund",andthefundswillbeusedtoimplementthepersonal
watercraftpatrol.
Theprovisionsofthebillsunsetfiveyearsaftertheeffective
date.