State Rep. David Wood, R-Versailles, will file legislation this month to address the issues of "plowing" by boaters moving through populated areas, the distance No Wake zones should extend from the shoreline and a requirement the Highway Patrol open better communication lines with property owners.
In November, Wood announced he intended to introduce legislation targeting the problems caused by large boat wakes on Lake of the Ozarks.
He decided to draw up legislation after speaking with shoreline residents during a November town hall-type meeting as well as on a one-on-one basis earlier.
Wood worked with a number of groups on the key issues. In mid-November, he said he would not release any details of the legislation until he was "sure the final bill is something that can be enforced."
Wood sent out a news release Monday detailing four major points of the bill:
• Create an infraction for "Plowing" - which will be defined - in a populated area of the lake. Every ticket that is issued on the lake is a Class B Misdemeanor, so this will give the Water Division of the Highway Patrol a different option. This is limited to populated areas so the wakeboarders would be welcome in the parks and unpopulated areas of the lake.
• Move the No Wake distance from shore to 300 feet (from the current 100 feet) for any boat that is Coast Guard Registered and does not have the Missouri Registration numbers on the bow.
"I do not believe that moving the larger boats to the 300' mark will have a large impact on the waves for property damage but I do believe that it will improve the safety of the smaller boats and PWCs," Wood said.
"This would also make all coves less than 600-foot No Wake (zones) for the larger boats. In checking the map of the lake, the distance to the back of the cove when the opening is 600 feet or less is not far enough to have an adverse effect on the businesses."
• Require the Water Division of the Highway Patrol to review the policies for No Wake Coves every five years beginning in 2016.
• Request the Water Division provide a law enforcement representative to any Neighborhood Watch program that wants to open with the intent of watching a defined area on the Lake.
There have been suggestions a limit be placed on the size of boats allowed on Lake, but Wood feels because there is already a limit on the size of dock boat slips makes the issue of boat size an "enforcement issue."
"If there are current rules or laws that can address the problem, then I do not want to create additional legislation," he said.
Wood also addressed several other issues the public has brought to his attention, but said he has no plans to issue further legislation addressing those problems.
In addressing concerns about noise on the Lake, Wood said because there are already laws in place addressing the issue of noise he did not include it in the legislation.
"While noise is a problem, it does not cause direct safety issues or property damage," he said.
He also declined to include the issue of a boater license or certification. "The marine dealers have stepped up and offered the education campaign," Wood said, "and I believe they deserve the chance to make a difference."
Wood said there have been several suggestions about an advertising campaign on the issue of boat wakes, and he encourages local groups to "get behind this effort."
Since filing the bill is just the beginning of the legislative process, he would like to encourage the public to pass along comments and concerns to legislators, he said.