Amends existing law to provide an exception for water skiing.

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE BILL NO. 887 BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AN ACT1 RELATING TO WATER SKIING; AMENDING SECTION 67-7024, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE2 AN EXCEPTION TO THE OBSERVER REQUIREMENT AND TO MAKE TECHNICAL CORREC-3 TIONS; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.4

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:5

SECTION 1. That Section 67-7024, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby6 amended to read as follows:7 67-7024. WATER SKIING. (1) It Except as provided in subsection (2) of8 this section, it shall be unlawful for the operator of any vessel having in9 tow or otherwise assisting a person on water skis, aquaplane or a similar10 contrivance to operate or propel the same upon on or above any waters of the11 state of Idaho unless that vessel shall be occupied by at least one (1) other12 competent person who shall act as an observer. This subsection shall not ap-13 ply to vessels used by representatives of duly constituted water ski schools14 in the giving of instruction or to vessels used in duly authorized water ski15 tournaments, competitions, expositions, or trials.16 (2) Vessels having in tow or otherwise assisting a person on water skis17 or a similar contrivance to operate or propel the same on or above any waters18 of the state of Idaho shall be exempt from the observer requirement provided19 for in subsection (1) of this section if the vessel has a large mirror that is20 firmly mounted in a position that allows the operator to face the direction21 of travel and observe the person being towed at all times, and:22 (2) (a) Vessels The vessel is operating within a regulation legal and23 permitted slalom course and that are equipped with a rearview wide-an-24 gle mirror are exempt from the requirement of having at least one (1)25 other competent person in the boat acting as an observer as provided in26 subsection (1) of this section. The size of the mirror must be no less27 than four (4) inches from bottom to top and across from side to side. It28 shall be mounted firmly to give the operator a full, complete view be-29 yond the rear of the vessel at all times.; or30 (b) The vessel is being operated between one (1) hour prior to sunrise31 and 9:00 a.m. from May 15 through September 10 of each year or at any32 time of day from September 11 through May 14 of each year.33 (3) No Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, no ves-34 sel shall have in tow or shall otherwise be assisting a person on water skis,35 aquaplane or a similar contrivance from the period of one (1) hour after sun-36 set to one (1) hour prior to sunrise. This subsection shall not apply to ves-37 sels used in duly authorized water ski tournaments, competitions, exposi-38 tions, or trials.39 (4) All vessels having in tow or otherwise assisting a person on water40 skis, aquaplane or a similar contrivance shall be operated in a careful and41

2 prudent manner and at a reasonable distance from persons and property so as1 not to endanger the life or property of any person or create excessive wake.2 (5) No person shall operate or manipulate any vessel's attached towrope3 or other device by which the direction or location of water skis, aquaplane4 or a similar device may be affected or controlled in such a way as to cause5 the same or any person thereon to collide with or strike against any person or6 object other than a jumping ramp or in conjunction with skiing over a slalom7 course.8 (6) No person may operate or permit to be operated any vessel used for9 towing water-skiers or devices in which persons or objects are being towed10 above, in, or on the waters of this state unless it has on board and displays a11 warning flag that must be international orange or red in color and must be at12 least one (1) foot square. When any person being towed by the vessel becomes13 disengaged from the towline and is down in the water, a person in the vessel14 must immediately hold the warning flag aloft, visible from all sides, as an15 indicator to other vessels in the area that a person is down in the water. As16 long as such downed person is in the water, the flag must remain displayed to17 prevent danger to that person and hazards to passing vessels. Such warning18 flag must be displayed only under these conditions or when other eminent dan-19 ger exists.20

SECTION 2. An emergency existing therefor, which emergency is hereby21 declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after its22 passage and approval.23