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                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 5846

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                                          AS RECOMMENDED BY THE CONFERENCE OMMITTEE

                                                                          C 427 L 87 PV

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Parks & Ecology (originally sponsored by Senators Kreidler and Bluechel)

Read first time 2/26/87.

AN ACT Relating to boating safety; and adding new sections to chapter 43.51 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 43.51 RCW to read as follows:

          Law enforcement authorities, fire departments, or search and rescue units of any city or county government shall provide to the commission a report, prepared by the local government agency regarding any boating accident occurring within their jurisdiction resulting in a death or injury requiring hospitalization.  Such report shall be provided to the commission within ten days of the occurrence of the accident.  The results of any investigation of the accident conducted by the city or county governmental agency shall be included in the report provided to the commission.  At the earliest opportunity, but in no case more than forty-eight hours after becoming aware of an accident, the agency shall notify the commission of the accident.  The commission shall have authority to investigate any boating accident.  The results of any investigation conducted by the commission shall be made available to the local government for further processing.  This provision does not eliminate the requirement for a boating accident report by the operator required under RCW 88.02.080.

          The report of a county coroner, or any public official assuming the functions of a coroner, concerning the death of any person resulting from a boating accident, shall be submitted to the commission within one week of completion.  Information in such report may be, together with information in other such reports, incorporated into the state boating accident report provided for in RCW 43.51.400(5), and shall be for the confidential usage of governmental agencies as provided in RCW 43.51.402.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 43.51 RCW to read as follows:

          There is hereby established a fourteen-member boating safety advisory committee.  The purpose of the committee shall be to advise the commission on issues regarding boating safety, including the allocation and expenditure of funds designated for such purposes.  Membership shall consist of one representative from each of the following interest areas, organizations, groups, or agencies:  United States coast guard (nonvoting); United States coast guard auxiliary; a regional marine trade organization; state or regional boating interests; local sailing interests; a human-powered boating organization; a state-wide sportsmen's organization; United States power squadron; association of Washington cities; Washington state association of counties; Washington state parks and recreation commission (nonvoting); and three members at large.

          Representatives shall serve for a period of two years.  The committee shall be the successor to the existing boating safety task force which currently advises the commission on boating safety issues.  Members of the task force shall continue to serve on the committee until expiration of current terms.  Appointments to the committee shall be made by the parks and recreation commission, with the advice of the organization to be represented.  Members of the committee may be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 43.51 RCW to read as follows:

          The parks and recreation commission is hereby directed to develop and adopt rules establishing a uniform waterway marking system for waters of the state not serviced by such a marking system administered by the federal government.  Such system shall be designed to provide for standardized waterway marking buoys, floats, and other waterway marking devices which identify or specify waterway hazards, vessel traffic patterns, and similar information of necessity or use to boaters.  Any new or replacement waterway marking buoy, float, or device installed by a unit of local government shall be designed and installed consistent with rules adopted by the parks and recreation commission pursuant to this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 43.51 RCW to read as follows:

          The parks and recreation commission shall conduct a study of boating accidents and boating safety services in Washington including a review of how the local option tax for funding of boating safety enforcement is used.  Further the parks and recreation commission shall develop recommendations to address identified problems and report these recommendations to the legislature by January 2, 1988.

                                                                                                                           Passed the Senate April 26, 1987.

                                                                                                                                       President of the Senate.

                                                                                                                           Passed the House April 25, 1987.

                                                                                                                                         Speaker of the House.