HB209 Alabama 2024 Session

Updated Jan 14, 2026

House Bill

Enacted

Current Status

Regular Session 2024

Session

Sponsor

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Ed Oliver Representative
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2024
Title: Boats, motorboats, operation on Lewis Smith Lake, Lake Wedowee, and portion of Shoal Creek, wakeboarding and wakesurfing reg., operation near coastline prohibited, Lake Martin add to lake law applies; operation on lakes near shoreline prohibited, penalties, grace period.
Description: Under existing law, wakeboarding and wakesurfing are regulated and prohibited under certain conditions, including within 200 feet of any shoreline, dock, pier, boathouse, or other structure on the waters of the state impounded by Lewis Smith Dam (Lewis Smith Lake), R.L. Harris Dam (Lake Wedowee), or on Shoal Creek in Lauderdale County north of Highway 72. Violations of the law are subject to certain fines and penalties.
This bill would add waters of the state impounded by Martin Dam (Lake Martin) to the waters of the state where the law applies.
This bill would also prohibit the operation of a motorboat above idle speed within 100 feet from any shoreline, dock, pier, boathouse, or other structure on the same impounded waters of the state, including Lake Martin, subject to the same penalties.
Section 111.05 of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, prohibits a general law whose purpose or effect would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds from becoming effective with regard to a local governmental entity without enactment by a 2/3 vote unless: it comes within one of a number of specified exceptions; it is approved by the affected HB209 INTRODUCED entity; or the Legislature appropriates funds, or provides a local source of revenue, to the entity for the purpose.
The purpose or effect of this bill would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the meaning of the section. However, the bill does not require approval of a local governmental entity or enactment by a 2/3 vote to become effective because it comes within one of the specified exceptions contained in the section.
Subjects: Waters & Boating