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03/24/2014

States Address Boater Safety through Mandatory Education Legislation

Mandatory boater education legislation has recently been brought before legislatures in California, Illinois and Virginia.  In California, NMMA supports California Senate Bill 941, which if enacted would require all boat operators to pass a boating safety course either in a class or online.  Beginning in 2018, the law would apply to operators under 20 years old. By 2025, all boat operators would be required to pass the state’s safety course.

In Illinois, Senate Bill 3433 would require operators between ages 12 and 18 to possess a Boating Safety Certificate, starting in 2016. Children between 10 and 12 years old would have to be supervised by an adult that possesses a Boating Safety Certificate.

In Virginia, NMMA, in-state safety advocates and BoatUS successfully blocked HB 650/SB52, which would have exempted boaters over 45 years of age from having to take a boater safety education course. Legislators were persuaded to oppose the bill by facts that showed the education mandate enacted in 2008 already had saved lives.

Questions about NMMA’s state government relations efforts? Contact David Dickerson at ddickerson@nmma.org.

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