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104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 672

To improve recreational boating safety.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 25, 1995

Mr. FIELDS of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

A BILL

To improve recreational boating safety.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Recreational Boating

5 Safety Act of 1995’’.

6 SEC. 2. INCREASED ENFORCEMENT OF BOATING WHILE

7 INTOXICATED LAWS.

8 Not later than one year after the date of enactment

9 of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation, in coopera10 tion with appropriate State and local law enforcement offi11 cials, shall establish a program to reduce the number of

12 boating accident fatalities by increasing or concentrating
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1 enforcement of boating while intoxicated laws in areas

2 where—

3 (1) many boating accidents have occurred; or

4 (2) previous boating accidents involving the use

5 of alcohol have occurred.

6 SEC. 3. MANDATORY USE OF PERSONAL FLOTATION DE7 VICES FOR CHILDREN.

8 Section 4302 of title 46, United States Code, is

9 amended by adding at the end a new subsection to read

10 as follows:

11 ‘‘(e) The Secretary shall prescribe regulations requir12 ing an individual on a recreational vessel or a personal

13 watercraft who is 12 years of age or younger to wear a

14 personal flotation device, except in an enclosed cabin on

15 a vessel.’’.

16 SEC. 4. PLAN TO APPROVE FULLY INFLATABLE LIFE

17 JACKETS.

18 Not later than six months after the date of enactment

19 of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall submit

20 to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

21 of the House of Representatives and the Committee on

22 Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a

23 plan to approve fully inflatable life jackets for use as per24 sonal flotation devices under appropriate conditions.
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1 SEC. 5. PLAN TO IMPROVE VESSEL CASUALTY REPORTING.

2 Not later than one year after enactment of this Act,

3 the Secretary of Transportation shall submit to the Com4 mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House

5 of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce,

6 Science, and Transportation of the Senate a plan to in7 crease reporting of vessel accidents to appropriate State

8 law enforcement officials.

9 SEC. 6. INCREASED BOATING CASUALTY INFORMATION.

10 (a) Not later than six months after the date of enact11 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall

12 revise the regulations issued under section 6102 of title

13 46, United States Code, to provide for a three-level State

14 marine casualty reporting system. The reporting system

15 shall require reporting of comprehensive information for

16 each serious recreational vessel accident, including infor17 mation on alcohol use, personal flotation device use, and

18 operator education.

19 (b) Section 6103(a) of title 46, United States Code,

20 is amended by inserting ‘‘or 6102’’ after ‘‘6101’’ each

21 place it appears.

22 SEC. 7. MANDATORY BOATER EDUCATION FOR SERIOUS

23 VIOLATIONS.

24 (a) Section 2302 of title 46, United States Code, is

25 amended by adding at the end a new subsection to read

26 as follows:
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1 ‘‘(e) An individual operating a recreational vessel in

2 violation of this section shall complete a boating safety

3 course under terms acceptable to the Secretary.’’.

4 (b) Section 4308 of title 46, United States Code, is

5 amended—

6 (1) by designating the existing text as sub7 section (a); and

8 (2) by adding at the end a new subsection to

9 read as follows:

10 ‘‘(b) An individual operating a recreational vessel in

11 violation of this section shall complete a boating safety

12 course under terms acceptable to the Secretary.’’.

13 SEC. 8. SAFE BOATING EDUCATION PLAN.

14 Not later than six months after the date of enactment

15 of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall submit

16 to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

17 of the House of Representatives and the Committee on

18 Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a

19 plan to provide mandatory safe boating education and cer20 tification to individuals 12 years of age and younger who

21 operate recreational vessels.

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