A state senate committee heard testimony today on a bill that would extend New Hampshire's definition of "ski-craft" - better known as "jet-skis," -- or -- "personal watercraft."
Proponents of the bill want personal watercraft that carry three-and-four-passengers to be subject to the same rules governing one-and-two-person craft.
NHPR's Doug Macpherson reports.
THE FULL SENATE COULDN�T MAKE UP ITS COLLECTIVE MIND ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH THE CONTROVERSIAL BILL IT WAS HANDED EARLIER THIS YEAR � SO IT ELECTED TO PUNT - RE-REFERRING THE MATTER TO ITS WILDLIFE AND RECREATION COMMITTEE. CHAIRMAN GEORGE DISNARD SAYS HIS COMMITTEE DECIDED TO HOLD ANOTHER HEARING.
TAPE 5, DISNARD 048 since it was re-referred back, we thought we�d refresh our memories, give everyone an equal opportunity to represent their viewpoint. We just did it out of fairness, and to refresh our memory.
IT WASN�T A PUBLIC HEARING AT WHICH ANYONE COULD SPEAK. RATHER, EACH SIDE WAS GIVEN ONE HOUR TO MAKE ITS CASE.
STILL, MORE THAN 80-SUPPORTERS AND OPPONENTS OF THE BILL PACKED THE HEARING ROOM. SENATOR TOM EATON SAYS FEW ISSUES AROUSE AS MUCH PASSION.
TAPE 5, SENATOR TOM EATON 022 as I walked into the committee meeting and saw so many people I thought, if this was a hearing on taxes we wouldn�t have anywhere near this number of people.
AT ISSUE IS WHEN IS A PERSONAL WATERCRAFT A SKI-CRAFT, AND WHEN IS IT A BOAT? WHEN NEW HAMPSHIRE FIRST PASSED LEGISLATION IN 1988, IT DEFINED A SKI-CRAFT AS A VEHICLE THAT COULD CARRY ONE OR TWO PEOPLE. BUT SINCE THEN, MOST OF WHAT THE INDUSTRY HAS PRODUCED CAN CARRY THREE AND FOUR PASSENGERS. ONE AND TWO PERSON CRAFT ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS: OPERATORS MUST BE 16 YEARS OLD. THEY MUST WEAR LIFE-JACKETS. THEY CAN�T OPERATE AT NIGHT. BUT NONE OF THESE RESTRICTIONS EXTENDS TO THREE AND FOUR PERSON CRAFT, BECAUSE UNDER NEW HAMPSHIRE�S LAW � AND UNLIKE EVERY OTHER STATE�S LAWS -- THESE ARE DEFINED AS BOATS.
BUT THE HEART OF THE ISSUE IS THIS: PEOPLE CAN PETITION THE DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY TO BAN THE USE OF ONE AND TWO PERSON CRAFT ON INDIVIDUAL LAKES. MORE THAN 80-LAKES HAVE SUCH BANS. BUT THOSE BANS DON�T EXTEND TO THREE AND FOUR PERSON CRAFT, BECAUSE LEGALLY, THOSE ARE BOATS � AND THERE IS NO PROCESS TO BAN BOATS.
JIM BIANCO, LOBBYIST FOR THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PERSONAL WATERCRAFT ASSOCIATION, SAYS THE INTENT OF THE NEW BILL IS TO EXTEND THOSE BANS.
TAPE BIANCO 080 By changing the definition from ski craft, which is what we have in the statute now, to the definition proposed in senate bill 146, it will trigger the restrictions that are imposed the one and two person craft on the three and four person craft.
PROPONENTS OF THE BILL SAY THAT�S NOT WHAT SENATE BILL 146 WOULD DO.
TAPE SCHAARSMITH 042 this is not a bill that bans personal watercraft ///
DAVID SCHAARSMITH IS STAFF LOBBYIST FOR THE NEW HAMPSHIRE LAKES ASSOCIATION.
TAPE SCHAARSMITH 045 it was never the intent, nor is it the intent, of the New Hampshire Lakes Association to ban personal watercraft from new hampshire�s lakes.
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WHAT THE LAKES ASSOCIATION WANTS IS TO GIVE PEOPLE THE OPTION OF PETITIONING THE DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY TO BAN PERSONAL WATERCRAFT � NO MATTER HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY CAN CARRY -- FROM AN INDIVIDUAL LAKE. OPPONENTS OF THE BILL SAY THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN � THE EXISTING BANS ON ONE AND TWO PERSON CRAFT ON MORE THAN 80-LAKES WOULD EXTEND TO ALL WATERCRAFT. THE LAKES ASSOCIATION SAYS THAT�S SIMPLY NOT TRUE � BY ITSELF, THE BILL WOULD NOT CHANGE ACCESS TO ANY LAKE IN THE STATE.
IN THE END, SENATE LAWMAKERS WILL HAVE TO DECIDE EXACTLY WHAT THE BILL WOULD DO. FOLLOWING THE HEARING, SOME COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE ADMITTEDLY CONFUSED. CONFUSION IS SEEN TO BENEFIT OPPONENTS OF THE BILL, AS A LAWMAKERS ARE LIKELY TO REJECT A MEASURE THEY DON�T� UNDERSTAND. IN ANY CASE, THE COMMITTEE MUST MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL SENATE, WHICH MUST VOTE IN JANUARY. IF THE BILL PASSES THE SENATE, IT WOULD MOVE ON TO THE HOUSE.
FOR N-H-P-R NEWS, I�M DOUG MACPHERSON.
