The New Hampshire Legislature is tackling model boats, pumpkins and Internet hunting.

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – A lakefront resident in Milton had a close call with a high-speed, remote-controlled model boat that dented her boat, punctured a water trampoline and jumped onto land, almost hitting her dogs.

“What if a child, God forbid, was in the water,” said state Rep. Nancy Johnson, who has submit a bill that would require model boats to observe the same speed limits as full-size boats.

“I think there’s a safety issue here,” said Johnson, who lives in Milton.

Offbeat bills before the Legislature this year range from model boat speeds to Internet hunting and slavery. And while some seem silly at first, they are anything but to their sponsors.

Rep. Peter Allen, of Harrisville, is helping his town’s fourth-graders learn about government by sponsoring their bill to make the pumpkin the state fruit.

Rep. Jordan Ulery of Hudson is sponsoring a bill to make slavery a state crime. He is concerned about human trafficking and illegal immigrants being forced to work under duress.

“You’re using an individual, perhaps, in the worst possible way,” Ulery told lawmakers at a hearing on the bill Thursday. The U.S. Constitution bans slavery and involuntary servitude, but Ulery wants to give the state authority to prosecute.

Rep. Ron Nowe of Epping has several co-sponsors for a bill to ban Internet and remote-control hunting. The proposal was prompted by a ranch in Texas that wanted to allow hunters to link their computers to remotely controlled guns. The ranch would attract deer or other wildlife to the area and, for a fee, hunters could shoot them by clicking a mouse.

“You do it by watching your computer screen live streaming,” said Fish and Game Sgt. Bruce Bonenfant.

According to the ranch’s Web site, the owner’s goal is to provide hunting opportunities for the disabled. But many states have banned the practice, including Texas, Maine and Vermont.

A bill to require out-of-state owners to register aircraft incapable of flying was submitted by Rep. James Rausch of Derry – at the request of state transportation officials.

As it turns out, residents already must register unflyable planes though they don’t pay a fee. State aviation planner Tricia Lambert said unlike cars, aircraft are constantly being rebuilt, so they move between flyable and unflyable status. Requiring registration for both is just a way to keep track, she said.

Out-of-staters would have to pay $15 to register an unflyable plane.

But don’t think Rausch has it out for nonresidents. He also is sponsoring a bill to study how highway rest areas can better serve tourists.

His name is on another oddly named bill on “voluntary scrapie flock certification.” Scrapie is a fatal brain disease affecting sheep, and the bill, requested by agriculture officials, deals with rules for certifying that flocks are free of the disease.

At least one of this year’s proposed amendments to the constitution qualifies as unusual. Introduced by freshman lawmaker Paul Hopfgarten, R-Derry, it would require the Legislature to meet nights and weekends.

He says the Legislature’s daytime schedule makes it difficult for working people to serve. Though he doesn’t think his idea stands much of a chance, he wants lawmakers to consider it.

“I work third shift, or I wouldn’t be able to do it,” he said of his own service as a state representative. Fewer hours for lawmakers might also lead to fewer frivolous bills, he said.

“There’s a ridiculous number of bills this year,” he said. Then, after a pause: “One could argue I’m adding to the mess.”

Here are some other unusual bills this year:

• Rep. Richard Morris of Seabrook wants to require elementary schools to teach proverbs.

• Rep. Bill Field of Pembroke and Rep. Harriet Cady of Deerfield want drivers to be able to proceed straight through an intersection after stopping at a red light.

• Rep. Clifford Newton of Rochester wants judges to be able to suspend your driver’s license if you get caught littering and fail to pay the fine.

• Rep. Peter Schmidt of Dover proposes that New Hampshire set clocks ahead by two hours for daylight savings time instead of just one.

• Rep. Lars Christiansen of Hudson wants to set minimum ages for babysitters and charge parents with child endangerment if they hire underage babysitters.

On the Net:

House bills 1420, 1199, 1210, 1368, 1111, 1669, 1198, 1296, 1413, 1662, 1145, Constitutional Amendment Concurrent Resolution 42.

http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/ie/billstatus/quickbill.html

Internet hunting: www.live-shot.com