BILL REQ. #:  H-0571.2 

Read first time 01/30/09.   Referred to Committee on Ecology & Parks.

     AN ACT Relating to boating safety; and creating new sections.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   It is the intent of the legislature to reduce boating fatalities and injuries, and increase the general safety of Washington's waterways by implementing the recommendations of recent state studies regarding the enhancement of boating safety. These studies include, improving coordination of state services to recreational boaters, conducted for the Washington state recreation and conservation office in 2008; Washington state boaters survey regarding safety, education, and law enforcement, conducted for the state parks and recreation commission in 2007; recreational boating safety in Washington, a report on methods to achieve safer boating practices, conducted by the state parks and recreation commission in 2003; and recommendations on child drowning prevention, conducted by the department of health's child death review state committee in 2004. It is the intent of the legislature to improve boating safety by focusing on increased support to marine law enforcement as recommended in the various studies.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) Within existing funds, the state parks and recreation commission shall develop a plan to implement the following recommendations regarding boating safety and marine law enforcement:
     (a) Increase state and local law enforcement presence on waterways;
     (b) Enhance standardized and specialized training for marine law enforcement regarding boating safety laws and boating accident investigation;
     (c) Increase training opportunities for state and local law enforcement marine program personnel;
     (d) Increase enforcement of boating laws, including enforcement against alcohol and drug-related boating;
     (e) Increase the provision of on-site safety information and practical education to boaters;
     (f) Designate the department of fish and wildlife as a boating safety program;
     (g) Maximize existing funding sources for the purpose of expanding law enforcement on-the-water activities including patrols and enforcement, prevention activities, education activities, and search and rescue;
     (h) Enhance state and local law enforcement's capabilities to conduct safety and equipment checks and courtesy inspections at boat access sites;
     (i) Review data sharing or other technology issues that impact law enforcement ability to enforce boating laws and increase boating safety.
     (2) The plan shall include provisions for the funding provided to the state from the recreational boating safety grant program administered through the United States coast guard to be allocated on the following basis: Twenty percent to the state parks and recreation commission and eighty percent to approved boating safety programs.
     (3) The plan shall include timelines for implementation of the recommendations. If any of the recommendations require legislative action, those recommendations will be noted in the plan and subsequently reported to the governor and the legislature.
     (4) The state parks and recreation commission shall provide a copy of the plan and a report detailing the status of recommendations implementation to the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature by December 31, 2009.