Airboat Legislation pg.1

Hi,

I hope you have time to read the story below. The point to note is the response government agencies have to inquiries by elected officials. While we may not have deep pockets, personal appearances by constituents will gain results.

The Florida Airboat Association has accepted proposed legislation for the 2006 legislative season. In order to gain this legislation, I ask each of you to contact your state House & Senate members this summer. This could very well be the most important proposal to offer safeguards to our activities, so I hope each one of you will invest less time than it takes to watch a football or baseball game & go visit your representatives.

327.60 Local regulations; limitations

The proposed legislation has five key elements:

1) Changes the state enabling act for vessel sound the counties can adopt from 90db@50' to 94db@100'. This level will allow us to power up to get on a plane.

2) Requires a "modern, stock factory muffling" devise capable of adequately muffling the sound of the exhaust of the engine. This means "a muffler." This is long overdue.

3) Defines an airboat in the statues.

4) Adds the words "an airboat" to the non discriminatory clause of the statues. This is a very important point as it will make an airboat "equal" to an other vessel in the eyes of the law.

5) Adds SAE J1970 sound testing standards to the statue. This is a shoreline or property line test of 100' or greater, with the vessel operating on a plane, tested by professional grade sound equipment.