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Texas Statutes, Title PW

Texas/Statutes

← All Texas coverage

Title PW, Parks and Wildlife Code

67 chapters · 1,496 sections in this title.

All chapters in Title PW1,496 Ch 43, Special Licenses and Permits153 Ch 11, Parks and Wildlife Department135 Ch 31, Water Safety123 Ch 12, Powers and Duties Concerning Wildlife97 Ch 22, State Parks70 Ch 13, Powers and Duties Concerning Parks a…60 Ch 47, Commercial Fishing Licenses53 Ch 62, Provisions Generally Applicable To H…53 Ch 76, Oysters53 Ch 77, Shrimp52 Ch 66, Fish and Aquatic Plants51 Ch 82, Statutory Sanctuaries and Preserves47 Ch 21, Texas Park Development Fund37 Ch 86, Marl, Sand, Gravel, Shell, and Mudshell33

1,496 sections·Filtered byTitle PW✕

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.071 Rearview Mirrors
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Sec. 31.071. REARVIEW MIRRORS. (a) A vessel used to tow a person or persons on water skis or an aquaplane or similar device on the water of this state must have a rearview mirror of a size no less than four inches from bottom to top and across from one side to the other. The mirr…
Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.072 Racing Boats; Equipment Exemptions
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Sec. 31.072. RACING BOATS; EQUIPMENT EXEMPTIONS. (a) A motorboat designed and intended solely for racing need not have a whistle or other sound-producing mechanical appliance or a bell as required by Section 31.065 of this code or a fire extinguisher as required by Section 31.067…
Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.073 Canoes, Punts, Rowboats, Sailboats, Rubber Rafts, Racing Shells, Rowing Sculls, Kayaks, and Other Paddle Craft; Equipment Exemptions
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Sec. 31.073. CANOES, PUNTS, ROWBOATS, SAILBOATS, RUBBER RAFTS, RACING SHELLS, ROWING SCULLS, KAYAKS, AND OTHER PADDLE CRAFT; EQUIPMENT EXEMPTIONS. (a) All canoes, kayaks, punts, rowboats, sailboats, rubber rafts, and other paddle craft when paddled, poled, oared, or windblown are…
Visual Distress Signal

Showing 551–600 of 1,496

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Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.074

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Sec. 31.074. VISUAL DISTRESS SIGNAL. (a) In this section: (1) "Coastal waters" means the water that lies within nine nautical miles from the coastline of this state. (2) "Uninspected passenger vessel" has the meaning assigned by 46 C.F.R. Section 24.10-1. (3) "Visual distress sig…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.091 Uniformity of Boating Regulations

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Sec. 31.091. UNIFORMITY OF BOATING REGULATIONS. In the interest of uniformity, it is the policy of the State of Texas that the basic authority for the enactment of boating regulations is reserved to the state. Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 1405, ch. 545, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1975.

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.092 Local Regulations

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Sec. 31.092. LOCAL REGULATIONS. (a) The governing body of an incorporated city or town, with respect to public water within its corporate limits and all lakes owned by it, may designate by ordinance certain areas as bathing, fishing, swimming, or otherwise restricted areas and ma…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.093 Rules of the Road

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Sec. 31.093. RULES OF THE ROAD. The United States Coast Guard Inland Rules apply to all public water of this state to the extent they are applicable. Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 1405, ch. 545, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1975.

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.094 Reckless Or Negligent Operation

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Sec. 31.094. RECKLESS OR NEGLIGENT OPERATION. No person may operate any motorboat or vessel or manipulate any water skis, aquaplane, or similar device in a wilfully or wantonly reckless or negligent manner that endangers the life, limb, or property of any person. Acts 1975, 64th …

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.095 Excessive Speed

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Sec. 31.095. EXCESSIVE SPEED. (a) No person may operate any boat at a rate of speed greater than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the conditions and hazards, actual and potential, then existing, including weather and density of traffic, or greater than will permit…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.096 Reckless Operation and Excessive Speed

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Sec. 31.096. RECKLESS OPERATION AND EXCESSIVE SPEED. No person may operate a vessel or manipulate water skis, an aquaplane, or a similar device on the water of this state in wilful or wanton disregard of the rights or safety of others or without due caution or circumspection, and…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.098 Hazardous Wake Or Wash

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Sec. 31.098. HAZARDOUS WAKE OR WASH. No person may operate a motorboat so as to create a hazardous wake or wash. Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 1405, ch. 545, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1975.

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.099 Prohibition On Circular Course Around Individuals Engaged In Water Activities

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Sec. 31.099. PROHIBITION ON CIRCULAR COURSE AROUND INDIVIDUALS ENGAGED IN WATER ACTIVITIES. (a) No person may operate a motorboat in a circular course around: (1) any other boat or personal watercraft any occupant of which is engaged in fishing, waterskiing, or a similar activity…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.100 Interference With Markers Or Ramps

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Sec. 31.100. INTERFERENCE WITH MARKERS OR RAMPS. (a) No person may moor or attach a boat to a buoy, beacon, light marker, stake, flag, or other aid to safe operation placed upon the public water of this state by or under the authority of the United States or the State of Texas. N…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.101 Obstructing Passage

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Sec. 31.101. OBSTRUCTING PASSAGE. (a) No person may anchor a boat in the traveled portion of a river or channel so as to prevent, impede, or interfere with the safe passage of any other boat through the same area. (b) No person may anchor a vessel near a state-owned boat ramp so …

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.102 Operating Boats In Restricted Areas

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Sec. 31.102. OPERATING BOATS IN RESTRICTED AREAS. No person may operate a boat within a water area that has been clearly marked, by buoys or some other distinguishing device, as a bathing, fishing, swimming, or otherwise restricted area by the department or by a political subdivi…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.1021 Operating Vessels In Scuba Diving Or Snorkeling Areas

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Sec. 31.1021. OPERATING VESSELS IN SCUBA DIVING OR SNORKELING AREAS. (a) No person may operate a vessel within 50 feet of a buoy or of another vessel displaying a "diver down" flag that marks an area in which a person is scuba diving or snorkeling. (b) No person may operate a ves…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.103 Sec. 31.103

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Sec. 31.103. WATER SKIS, AQUAPLANES, ETC.: TIME AND MANNER OF OPERATION. (a) No person may operate a vessel on any water of this state towing a person or persons on water skis, surfboards, or similar devices and no person while being towed may engage in water-skiing, surfboarding…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.104 Accidents: Duty of Operators

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Sec. 31.104. ACCIDENTS: DUTY OF OPERATORS. The operator of a vessel involved in a collision, accident, or casualty shall: (1) render to other persons affected such assistance as may be practicable and necessary in order to save them from or minimize any danger insofar as he can d…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.105 Incident Reports

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Sec. 31.105. INCIDENT REPORTS. (a) This section applies only to an incident that is a collision, accident, or other casualty that results in: (1) the death of a person; (2) injury to a person that requires medical treatment beyond the provision of first aid; or (3) damage to prop…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.1055 Release of Incident Reports

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Sec. 31.1055. RELEASE OF INCIDENT REPORTS. (a) This section applies only to an incident report that is held by the department or another governmental entity. (b) In this section: (1) "Incident" means an incident described by Section 31.105(a). (2) "Incident report" means a writte…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.106 Personal Watercraft

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Sec. 31.106. PERSONAL WATERCRAFT. (a) No person shall operate a personal watercraft in the following manner or under the following circumstances: (1) unless each person riding on or towed behind the vessel is wearing a U.S. Coast Guard approved Type I, II, III, or V personal flot…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.107 Operation of Motorboat

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Sec. 31.107. OPERATION OF MOTORBOAT. No person may operate a motorboat powered by a motor with a manufacturer's rating of more than 15 horsepower on the public waters of this state unless the person is at least 13 years of age or is supervised by another person who: (1) is at lea…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.1071 Operation of Motorboat With Emergency Engine Cutoff Switch

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Sec. 31.1071. OPERATION OF MOTORBOAT WITH EMERGENCY ENGINE CUTOFF SWITCH. (a) In this section, "engine cutoff switch" means an emergency switch installed on a motorboat that: (1) is designed to shut off the engine if: (A) the motorboat operator using a lanyard attachment activate…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.108 Boater Education Program

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Sec. 31.108. BOATER EDUCATION PROGRAM. (a) The commission shall adopt rules to: (1) administer a boater education program that is designed to educate persons about the safe operation of vessels; (2) approve boater education courses that meet or exceed the minimum instruction requ…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.109 Boater Education Course Required For Certain Persons

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Sec. 31.109. BOATER EDUCATION COURSE REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN PERSONS. (a) This section applies only to a person who is: (1) born on or after September 1, 1993; and (2) operating on the public water of this state: (A) a vessel powered by a motor with a manufacturer's rating of more t…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.110 Exemption From Boater Education Course Requirement; Deferral Program

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Sec. 31.110. EXEMPTION FROM BOATER EDUCATION COURSE REQUIREMENT; DEFERRAL PROGRAM. (a) A person is not required to comply with Section 31.109 if the person: (1) holds a master's, mate's, or operator's license issued by the United States Coast Guard; (2) is supervised by a person …

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.111 Operating Vessel Livery

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Sec. 31.111. OPERATING VESSEL LIVERY. (a) A vessel livery must purchase liability insurance from an insurer licensed to do business in this state. (b) Before releasing possession of a rented vessel, a vessel livery shall provide each operator of the rented vessel instruction rela…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.121 Enforcement Officers

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Sec. 31.121. ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. (a) In this section: (1) "Game warden" means a person who is commissioned as a game warden by the commission. (2) "State military forces" has the meaning assigned by Section 437.001, Government Code. (a-1) All peace officers of this state and ga…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.1211 Jurisdiction of Municipal Peace Officers

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Sec. 31.1211. JURISDICTION OF MUNICIPAL PEACE OFFICERS. (a) Notwithstanding any other law limiting the enforcement jurisdiction of a peace officer, a peace officer of a municipality who is certified as a marine safety enforcement officer under Section 31.121 may enforce the provi…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.122 Water Safety Vessels: Lights

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Sec. 31.122. WATER SAFETY VESSELS: LIGHTS. Only the department and police water safety vessels may use rotating or flashing blue beacon lights. Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 1405, ch. 545, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1975. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 543, Sec. 5, eff. June 14, 1989…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.123 Required Response To Police Water Safety Vessel

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Sec. 31.123. REQUIRED RESPONSE TO POLICE WATER SAFETY VESSEL. The operator of a vessel underway, on sighting a rotating or flashing blue beacon light, shall reduce power immediately and bring the vessel to a no-wake speed and subsequent stop until the intention of the water safet…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.124 Inspection of Vessels

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Sec. 31.124. INSPECTION OF VESSELS. (a) In order to enforce the provisions of this chapter, an enforcement officer may stop and board any vessel subject to this chapter and may inspect the boat to determine compliance with applicable provisions. (b) An officer boarding a vessel s…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.125 Violations; Notice To Appear

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Sec. 31.125. VIOLATIONS; NOTICE TO APPEAR. (a) An enforcement officer who arrests a person for a violation of this chapter may deliver to the alleged violator a written notice to appear within 15 days after the date of the violation before the justice court having jurisdiction of…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.126 Venue

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Sec. 31.126. VENUE. (a) Venue for an alleged violation or offense under the provisions of this chapter is in the justice court, county court, or municipal court having jurisdiction where the violation or offense was committed. (b) For an offense under the provisions of this chapt…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.127 Penalties and Fines

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Sec. 31.127. PENALTIES AND FINES. (a) A person who violates or fails to comply with any provision of this chapter, or who violates or fails to comply with a proclamation of the commission entered under this chapter or a city ordinance or order of a commissioners court or a politi…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.128 Disposition of Fines

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Sec. 31.128. DISPOSITION OF FINES. (a) A justice of the peace, or a clerk of any court, or any other officer of this state receiving any fine imposed by a court for a violation of this chapter shall send the fine to the department within 10 days after receipt and shall note the d…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.129 Violation and Enforcement of Sewage Disposal Regulations

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Sec. 31.129. VIOLATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF SEWAGE DISPOSAL REGULATIONS. (a) A person who violates or fails to comply with a rule of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality concerning the disposal of sewage from boats commits an offense that is a Class C Parks and Wildlife Co…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.130 Boater Education Course Permitted In Lieu of Fine

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Sec. 31.130. BOATER EDUCATION COURSE PERMITTED IN LIEU OF FINE. (a) Except as provided by Section 31.131, this section applies to a person who violates for the first time a provision of this chapter relating to the operation of a vessel. (b) A justice may defer imposition of a fi…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.131 Boater Education Course Required For Certain Violations

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Sec. 31.131. BOATER EDUCATION COURSE REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN VIOLATIONS. (a) A justice shall require a person who is adjudged guilty of an offense resulting from the violation of a provision of Sections 31.094-31.103 or 31.106 to: (1) pay any fine imposed for the violation; and (2) …

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.132 Reporting Procedures For Enforcement Officers

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Sec. 31.132. REPORTING PROCEDURES FOR ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a marine safety enforcement officer shall provide to the department on a form prescribed by the department a report of any incident the officer investigates that involves a boati…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.141 Boat Ramps

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Sec. 31.141. BOAT RAMPS. (a) The department may construct and maintain boat ramps and access roads by the use of existing or additional services or facilities of the department. (b) On the completion of the work, the department shall prepare and send vouchers to the comptroller o…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.142 Buoys and Markers

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Sec. 31.142. BUOYS AND MARKERS. The department may provide for a standardized buoy-marking program for the inland water of the state. The department may purchase and provide the controlling agency of the water bodies with buoys and markers. Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 1405, ch. 545,…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.171 Definitions

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Sec. 31.171. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: (1) "Licensed party boat operator" means a person issued a license by the department under this subchapter. (2) "Party boat" means a vessel: (A) operated by the owner of the vessel or an employee of the owner; and (B) rented or leased…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.172 Applicability; Exception

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Sec. 31.172. APPLICABILITY; EXCEPTION. (a) This subchapter applies only to a party boat that operates on the inland waters of this state. (b) This subchapter does not apply to a boat that is less than 30 feet in length or to a sailboat. Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 11…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.173 Party Boat Operator and Staff

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Sec. 31.173. PARTY BOAT OPERATOR AND STAFF. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (c), the party boat owner shall provide staff members, including a licensed party boat operator, who: (1) operate and staff the party boat for the duration of a rental or lease for a group recreation…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.174 Boat Requirements

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Sec. 31.174. BOAT REQUIREMENTS. A party boat: (1) may not carry more than the maximum number of passengers the boat may safely accommodate as determined by the department on inspection; (2) must have a direct and reliable communication connection to the land-based office of the o…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.175 Passenger Safety Information; Insurance

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Sec. 31.175. PASSENGER SAFETY INFORMATION; INSURANCE. (a) The owner of a party boat shall provide each passenger with written and verbal safety information and require each passenger to sign a form acknowledging that the passenger reviewed and understands the information. (b) The…

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.176 Party Boat Operator License

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Sec. 31.176. PARTY BOAT OPERATOR LICENSE. (a) The commission by rule shall establish, as necessary to protect the public health and safety, the requirements and procedures for the issuance and renewal of a party boat operator license under this subchapter. (b) Except as provided …

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.177 Fees

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Sec. 31.177. FEES. (a) The commission by rule shall establish and collect a reasonable fee for: (1) the issuance of a party boat operator license under this subchapter; and (2) the annual water safety inspection of a party boat required by this subchapter. (b) A fee collected by …

Tex. Parks and Wildlife Code § 31.178 Drug and Alcohol Testing

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Sec. 31.178. DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING. If a party boat is involved in an accident causing serious personal injury or death, each staff member on board is subject to mandatory drug and alcohol testing. Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1159 (H.B. 12), Sec. 19A(a), eff. June…