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HF2419 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))

Life jackets for children aboard watercraft required to have reflective material.

Related bill: SF2767

AI Generated Summary

Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of this bill is to enhance child safety on watercraft in Minnesota. It proposes requiring life jackets for children to include reflective material to improve visibility.

Main Provisions

  • Mandates that children under ten aboard any moving watercraft must wear a personal flotation device (PFD).
  • Starting January 1, 2027, life jackets for children below ten must include a minimum of 31 square inches of retroreflective material on the front, back, and, if reversible, on each reversible side.
  • The retroreflective material is required to be evenly distributed between the upper quadrants near the shoulders of the life jacket for maximum effectiveness.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

  • This bill amends previous requirements by adding the necessity for retroreflective material on life jackets for children.
  • Exemptions to this rule include children on commercial vessels with licensed operators and when the watercraft is stationary for swimming or diving.
  • Violations of this new reflective material mandate will not result in penalties until after May 1, 2028. Until then, offenders will receive a safety warning for first-time violations.

Relevant Terms

  • Life jackets
  • Children's safety
  • Retroreflective material
  • Watercraft
  • Personal flotation device (PFD)
  • Child safety regulations

Bill text versions

Actions

DateChamberWhereTypeNameCommittee Name
March 16, 2025HouseFloorActionIntroduction and first reading, referred toEnvironment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy
March 23, 2025HouseFloorActionAuthor added

Citations

 
[
  {
    "analysis": {
      "added": [
        "Requirement for life jackets to include retroreflective material by 2027."
      ],
      "removed": [
        ""
      ],
      "summary": "This bill amends safety regulations for children aboard watercraft under section 86B.501.",
      "modified": [
        "Clarifies exceptions for commercial watercraft and anchored watercrafts for swimming or diving."
      ]
    },
    "citation": "86B.501",
    "subdivision": "subdivision 3"
  }
]

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