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| 1 | AN ACT concerning transportation.
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| 2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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| 3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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| 4 | Section 5. The Boat Registration and Safety Act is amended | ||||||
| 5 | by changing Section 4-1 as follows:
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| 6 | (625 ILCS 45/4-1) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 314-1)
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| 7 | Sec. 4-1. Personal flotation devices.
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| 8 | A. No person may operate a watercraft
unless at least one | ||||||
| 9 | U.S. Coast Guard approved PFD of the following types or
their | ||||||
| 10 | equivalent is on board for each person: Type I, Type II or Type | ||||||
| 11 | III.
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| 12 | B. No person may operate a personal watercraft or specialty | ||||||
| 13 | prop-craft
unless each person aboard is wearing a Type I, Type | ||||||
| 14 | II, Type III or Type V
PFD approved by the United States Coast | ||||||
| 15 | Guard.
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| 16 | C. No person may operate a watercraft 16 feet or more in | ||||||
| 17 | length,
except a canoe or kayak, unless at least one Type IV | ||||||
| 18 | U.S. Coast Guard
approved PFD or its equivalent is on board in | ||||||
| 19 | addition to the PFD's
required in paragraph A of this Section.
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| 20 | D. A U.S. Coast Guard approved Type V personal flotation | ||||||
| 21 | device may be
carried in lieu of the Type I, II, III or IV | ||||||
| 22 | personal flotation device
required in this Section, if the Type | ||||||
| 23 | V personal flotation device is
approved for the activity in | ||||||
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| 1 | which it is being used.
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| 2 | E. When assisting a person on waterskis, aquaplane or | ||||||
| 3 | similar
device, there must be one U.S. Coast Guard approved PFD | ||||||
| 4 | on
board the watercraft for each person being assisted or towed | ||||||
| 5 | or worn
by the person being assisted or towed.
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| 6 | F. No person may operate a watercraft unless each device | ||||||
| 7 | required by
this Section is:
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| 8 | 1. Readily accessible;
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| 9 | 2. In serviceable condition;
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| 10 | 3. Of the appropriate size for the person for whom it | ||||||
| 11 | is intended;
and
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| 12 | 4. Legibly marked with the U.S. Coast Guard approval | ||||||
| 13 | number.
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| 14 | G. Approved personal flotation devices are defined as | ||||||
| 15 | follows:
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| 16 | Type I - A Type I personal flotation device is an | ||||||
| 17 | approved device
designed to turn an unconscious person in | ||||||
| 18 | the water from a face downward
position to a vertical or | ||||||
| 19 | slightly backward position and to have more
than 20 pounds | ||||||
| 20 | of buoyancy.
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| 21 | Type II - A Type II personal flotation device is an | ||||||
| 22 | approved device
designed to turn an unconscious person in | ||||||
| 23 | the water from a face downward
position to a vertical or | ||||||
| 24 | slightly backward position and to have at
least 15 1/2 | ||||||
| 25 | pounds of buoyancy.
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| 26 | Type III - A Type III personal flotation device is an | ||||||
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| 1 | approved device
designed to keep a conscious person in a | ||||||
| 2 | vertical or slightly backward
position and to have at least | ||||||
| 3 | 15 1/2 pounds of buoyancy.
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| 4 | Type IV - A Type IV personal flotation device is an | ||||||
| 5 | approved device
designed to be thrown to a person in the | ||||||
| 6 | water and not worn. It is
designed to have at least 16 1/2 | ||||||
| 7 | pounds of buoyancy.
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| 8 | Type V - A Type V personal flotation device is an | ||||||
| 9 | approved device for
restricted use and is acceptable only | ||||||
| 10 | when used in the activity for which
it is approved.
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| 11 | H. The provisions of subsections A through G of
this | ||||||
| 12 | Section shall not apply to sailboards sailboats.
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| 13 | I. No person may operate a watercraft under 26 feet in | ||||||
| 14 | length unless a
Type I, Type II, Type III,
or Type V personal | ||||||
| 15 | flotation device is being properly worn by each person
under
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| 16 | the age of 13 on board the watercraft at all times in which the | ||||||
| 17 | watercraft is
underway; however, this requirement shall not | ||||||
| 18 | apply to persons who are below
decks or in totally enclosed | ||||||
| 19 | cabin spaces.
The provisions of this subsection I shall not | ||||||
| 20 | apply to a person operating a
watercraft on private property.
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| 21 | (Source: P.A. 90-411, eff. 1-1-98.)
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