Wakeboat Rules in Michigan: An Update on HB 5532
Many of you have asked about the status of wakeboat legislation.
HB 5532 was introduced on February 28, 2024 by Michigan State House Representative Julie Rogers (D) Kalamazoo with bipartisan support. It will require watercraft in “wake sport mode” to be 500 feet or more from a shore or dock and at a depth of 20 feet or more.
The legislation follows the best practices recommendations laid out in a 2023 Michigan DNR report on the effect of wake boats on aquatic habitat, and a University of Minnesota study conducted in 2022.
The DNR report did not support a regulatory approach, but rather an educational and voluntary adoption of best practices. The bill is awaiting a committee hearing in the House Natural Resources, Environment, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation Committee.
