Jet boats that most everyone uses for fishing are either outboard jets or "SportJets."
The big block jets that are on ski boats are not really designed for fishing. Especially since they are usually on fiberglass boats. Fiberglass boats are probably not going to run the rivers, at least not for very long.

Has anyone actually read this bill? Here is the analysis:

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The Brazos River Authority (BRA), the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) have been unable to conduct winter airboat monitoring runs of the John Graves Scenic Riverway (riverway) in accordance with the John Graves Act. Statute requires these agencies to run airboats and collect water samples when water levels are low, causing damage to the boats and danger to employees. S.B. 408 seeks to amend the John Graves Act with regard to when airboat runs are required to monitor the riverway.

Current statute requires that BRA, TCEQ, and TPWD coordinate efforts to conduct visual inspections of the riverway and test water samples. Statute specifically requires that the inspections and drawing of water samples be conducted at least once in a winter month and at least once in a summer month. The visual inspections must be conducted both from the surface of the riverway via airboat monitoring and from an aircraft flying over the riverway.

Under the provisions of S.B. 408, flyovers would continue in the summer and winter months when the tree canopy allows for better visual inspection. The airboat runs would be required in the wetter fall and spring months. This would allow for the same number of inspections, but would require that the inspections be conducted quarterly, rather than biannually.

As proposed, S.B. 408 amends current law relating to inspection of the John Graves Scenic Riverway.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 26.555(b), Water Code, as follows:

(b) Requires that a visual inspection from an aircraft flying over the John Graves Scenic Riverway (riverway), rather than visual inspections and the drawing of water samples, be conducted at least once in a winter month and at least once in a summer month. Requires that a visual inspection and the drawing of water samples for testing be conducted from the surface of the riverway at least once in a spring month and at least once in a fall month.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2011.

OK, found an admendment that was added:
Amend SB 408 by adding the following appropriately numbered
section and renumbering subsequent sections of the bill
accordingly:
SECTIONA____.Subchapter M, Chapter 26, Water Code, is
amended by adding Section 26.563 to read as follows:
Sec.A26.563.AACERTAIN CRAFT PROHIBITED.AA(a)AAThe
commission by rule shall prohibit the commercial or recreational
use of the following craft on the waters of the John Graves Scenic
Riverway:
(1)AAairboats, fanboats, and similar shallow draft
watercraft that use an aircraft-type propeller for propulsion; and
(2)AAhovercraft.
(b)AAA rule adopted under this section must allow for the
operation of craft described by Subsection (a) for:
(1)AAa visual inspection conducted under Section
26.555; or
(2)AAlaw enforcement purposes.
1

Shows how our elected officials really screw the people. The intent was to allow inspections required by legislation, but some a-hole added a completely different agenda to the bill. And knowing that our great elected officials don't read what they vote for, in the hurried frenzy to complete the session they pass bad laws.

Oh, they are in a hurry to complete the session so they can go spend all that under the table money lobbiest paid them to pass bad laws.

It's just one lady with lots of money. Why are they just banning one area instead of all rivers.

Seems to me the bill introduced does not exclude jetboats. Only the airboat or fanboat with aircraft propeller propulsion. How many of those or we talking about at PK?

That's the way I read it including the amendment.

I'm not fond of airboats myself

soon the river will be only for shoreline properties and or state officials, people seem not to care about what does not affect them soon what you care about will be stripped away

if you check out this site it may give you some insight on how certain people can affect the making of laws and I am not calling names as far as who the donors and recipients are.


http://www.landsofamerica.com/resources/...ed-by-land-buy/

Airboats are fun and useful, but only for the occupants. Sounds like when all is said and done this rich lady everybody loves to hate may do a lot for preserving and conserving the river especially if the park deal goes through. I'm glad she attacked the gravel industry, too.

So I guess it is ok to get some people's rights removed if you donate some park land? Whether you like air boats or not is not the biggest issue here, it is the precedent of someone with enough money and influence bribing our elected officials into stripping away an undesired group of people's rights to access public land based on the fact that she doesn't like the noise they make driving by. This bill was originally a maintenance bill that needed to pass, the extra bit was tacked on so that it had a sure chance of passing. It is entirely possible that this could be used as a precedent later on to close entire sections of river to public use, not just one group.

Yes sir, you are correct.

Go to Friends of the Brazos site and ask the question there.Also read whats on it. The Pres. will answer questions,at lest he did for me.