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103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 2812

To improve recreational boating safety.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JULY 30, 1993

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

Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries

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 1993’’.

6 SEC. 2. INCREASED ENFORCEMENT OF BOATING WHILE IN7 TOXICATED LAWS.

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

9 the Secretary of Transportation, in cooperation with ap10 propriate State and local law enforcement officials, shall

11 establish a program to reduce the number of boating acci-
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1 dent fatalities by increasing or concentrating enforcement

2 of boating while intoxicated laws in areas 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 a new subsection to read as follows:

10 ‘‘(e) The Secretary shall prescribe regulations requir11 ing an individual on a recreational vessel or a personal

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

13 personal flotation device, except in an enclosed cabin on

14 a vessel.’’.

15 SEC. 4. PLAN TO APPROVE FULLY INFLATABLE LIFE JACK16 ETS.

17 Not later than six months after enactment of this

18 Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall submit to the

19 Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries of the

20 House of Representatives and the Committee on Com21 merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a plan

22 to approve fully inflatable life jackets for use as personal

23 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 Merchant Marine and Fisheries 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 time

21 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 a new subsection to read 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 a new subsection to read as fol9 lows:

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 enactment of this

15 Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall submit to the

16 Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries of the

17 House of Representatives and the Committee on Com18 merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a plan

19 to provide mandatory safe boating education and certifi20 cation to individuals 12 years of age and younger who op21 erate recreational vessels.

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