Pier Diving bill is alive again

[ComputerJoe]

The following was received and after following the link and looking up 629 I found none of the changes talked about to allow scuba diving, sail boarding documented. I would strongly advise those of you who use a breakwater or pier to enter the water from to contact you Representitives and be heard!

Again, IMHO, to accomplish it's purpose the bill would only need to prevent unsupervised minors from playing on these structures and leave the rest of us alone.

Standing Committee Meeting
Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources, Rep. Joel Sheltrown, Chair
Date: 03/04/2008
Time: 10:30 AM
Place: 521 House Office Building, Lansing, MI

Agenda:
HB 5771 (Stakoe) Natural resources; wildlife; federal department
promulgating regulation under Pittman-Robertson act; correct reference.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
TESTIMONY ONLY

SB 629 (Jelinek) Natural resources; Great Lakes; jumping, diving,
or swimming off any pier in the Great Lakes; prohibit.

To view text of legislation go to http://www.legislature.mi.gov/mileg.asp?page=Bills

Individuals who wish to bring written testimony need to supply a minimum of thirty copies for distribution.

Committee Clerk: David Mead
Phone: 517-373-2013

[ComputerJoe]

To help you all find out who your Reps are I should have included these links.

house.mi.gov - Find a Representative
Welcome to the Michigan Senate

And here is the change that the Senate voted for.
If the House approves the same wording it would be the beginning of the end for some great dive sites.

Sec. 80155a. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), a person shall not jump, dive, or swim from a pier, jetty, breakwater, or other similar structure, or a buoy or other navigational device, that is located in the Great Lakes or their connecting waters.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a person undertaking a rescue or to authorized public safety personnel conducting training.

(3) Notwithstanding any other provision in this part, a person who violates this section is responsible for a state civil infraction and may be ordered to pay a civil fine of not more than $500.00.

[Thunder Bay Minnow]

I am being told that "a pier, jetty, breakwater, or other similar structure" could also include retaining walls/structures. So how would that affect the folks doing the St. Clair River dives??? If you are entering anywhere other than where the shore is natural could fall under this provision.

I know in the Alpena region that the City Marina and Rockport are two very popular areas that would fall under this bill.

When I was doing research when this was first introduced, it was explained that is was introduced because of incidents at Holland State Park where kids play and swim off of the breakwall.

But look, the DNR does not even want to see it, because they don't have the people to enforce it.

Except for the bored Conservation Officer with nothing better to do. Then again local law enforcement will also be able to cite.

So......Everyone needs to show up and speak. Better yet flood Shelltrons office with photos and accounts of safe diving at those locations.

Jeff

[parrothead600]

I just sent an e-mail to both of my representatives as well as Senator McManus. I'll let everyone know if I get a reply.

[boat sju]

Michigan Legislature

You guys might find the above link helpful too. (Pretty much the same location as ComputerJoe posted but it gives you a little bit different way to do your searches.)

[ComputerJoe]

The following was received by someone who did e-mail their Representitives and forwarded it to me. I find it strange that the date on the notice is supposed to be March 4 NOT February 27. It appears that you have to appear in person, in Lansing, to be counted. Dam hard to do with a 7 to 7 job and 250 miles to drive one way.


In committee yesterday no one testified against the bill. There is testimony again next Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. in Room 521 of the House Office Building. If scuba divers wish to be exempted, I would strongly recommend that scuba divers either attend to testify or write all the members of the committee (not just me) expressing the reasons they do not support the bill.
You will find the committee members at:
house.mi.gov - Committee Info

[parrothead600]

I'm not able to attend the meeting, but I did use Joe's last link & sent emails to everyone on the commitee.

[Tortuga Viejo]

Thanks for the heads up again. Sent oppossition letters (emails actually) to ALL the committee members this afternoon. (MUD Club - SW Mi.)

Any one going to this meeting on Tuesday?

[Betail]

I fired messages off to my legislators, I will follow up with the committee next. Thanks for letting us know this was back on the front line. Last I had heard the comittee head did not plan to move on this bill.

[Betail]

Here is an e-mail friendly (cut & Paste) list of the committee and a sample letter to use. Please e-mail the entire committee and forward this on to as many Michigan divers as you can! If we can convince the committee to sit on this bill and not pass it to the full house for a vote, we won't have to convince the entire house that it is a bad bill as written.




joelsheltrown@house.mi.gov; KateEbli@house.mi.gov; terrybrown@house.mi.gov; tedhammon@house.mi.gov; kathleenlaw@house.mi.gov; stevenlindberg@house.mi.gov; mikesimpson@house.mi.gov; tomcasperson@house.mi.gov; howardwalker@house.mi.gov; johnstakoe@house.mi.gov; kennethhorn@house.mi.govCc:

Pier Diving Bill

I am sending this note to all members of the Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources Committee to voice my opposition to the current bill under consideration. As written, this bill would reduce tourism and outdoor recreation by prohibiting scuba divers from using a pier, breakwater or similar structure as a starting or ending point for a scuba dive. As the bill is written it would also make it a crime for a SCUBA diver to use the surface marker buoy attached to a wreck or other dive location as a starting point for a dive.

I wish that I could speak in person at the next public hearing but my work schedule prevents me from doing so. Please "represent" me in this hearing by reading my message or voicing my concerns as outlined above. I strongly urge this committee to vote down or retain this bill in committee until it provides an exemption for certified SCUBA divers.

Thank you for your time and consideration.