Sponsored by:
Senator ANTHONY M. BUCCO
District 25 (Morris and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
“Carlo’s Law”; requires paddleboard tether and safety information be provided to paddleboard renters under certain circumstances.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning paddleboard safety, designated as “Carlo’s Law,” and supplementing Title 12 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. (1) Any person regularly engaged in the business of renting stand-up paddleboards in this State shall provide each renter with an appropriate tether which attaches the operator of the paddleboard to the paddleboard and with safety information prepared by the Superintendent of State Police pursuant to subsection b. of this section.
(2) A person regularly engaged in the business of renting stand-up paddleboards in this State shall regularly inspect and properly maintain all tethers provided to renters pursuant to this subsection.
b. The Superintendent of State Police shall prepare informational materials regarding paddleboard safety which shall include:
(1) instructions on the proper use and attachment of a tether;
(2) information regarding the different types of tethers, which type of tether is recommended based upon the water conditions, and the risks associated with certain types of tethers when used in moving waters, including potential entrapment; and
(3) information clarifying that a tether does not replace any personal flotation device required under any applicable federal or State law.
The informational materials prepared pursuant to this subsection shall be made available on the Internet website of the Division of State Police.
c. Any person who violates the provisions of subsection a. of this section shall be subject to a penalty of $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second offense, and $100 for a third or subsequent offense.
2. This act shall take effect on the first day of the seventh month next following the date of enactment, except that the Superintendent of State Police may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill, to be known as “Carlo’s Law,” requires that a paddleboard tether and safety information be provided to paddleboard renters under certain circumstances.
Under the bill, any person regularly engaged in the business of renting stand-up paddleboards in this State is required to provide each renter with an appropriate tether which attaches the operator of the paddleboard to the paddleboard and with safety information prepared by the Superintendent of State Police concerning the use of tethers and paddleboards. This information is to be made available on the Internet website of the Division of State Police.
The bill also requires the tethers provided to renters to be regularly inspected and properly maintained.
Finally, the bill provides that a person who does not provide a tether or the safety information required pursuant to the bill’s provisions is subject to a penalty of $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second offense, and $100 for a third or subsequent offense.