Brianna's Law

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BillyK

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Is anyone else aware of a new law that will require all boaters to take a required boating class, not just those born after 1996.

Assembly Passes Brianna's Law to Improve Boating Safety

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Assemblymember Kimberly Jean-Pierre announced the passage of legislation to strengthen boating safety by requiring all individuals who operate a boat on the state's waterways to complete a boating safety course.

"New York is home to some of the most scenic and popular waterways in the region," said Heastie. "It is important that we ensure the safety of the boating public and their passengers by requiring operators to know and obey the navigation laws and related safety procedures."

"I am proud to sponsor this legislation to ensure that New Yorkers are equipped with the knowledge they need to safely enjoy our beautiful waterways," said Assemblymember Jean-Pierre. "While there is a lot one can learn from spending time on the waters and aboard vessels, it is critical to strengthen that knowledge with formal instruction to avoid preventable tragedies."

The legislation would require any individual who operates a mechanically propelled vessel along the navigable waters of the state, regardless of age or length of boat ownership, to have completed a boating safety course approved by the commissioner of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

There are approximately 450,000 registered powerboats in New York. Under current law, new boat owners are exempt from the requirement to complete a safety course for up to 120 days after the purchase of a vessel. Additionally, the requirement only applies for operators born after May, 1 1996. As the majority of boat owners in the state are much older, this has created a sizeable gap in the number of boaters who have received this important instruction. The course provides training on boat handling, use of navigation instruments and floatation devices, as well as relevant state laws concerning boating operation and safety. In 2005, Brianna Lieneck was fatally injured in a boating collision off the coast of Long Island that also injured other members of her family. This legislation will reduce the number of boating accidents and injuries on the state's waterways.

Don't get me wrong I think her death is a tragedy no one should have to bear, but more legislation is not going to stop stupidity.

Billy K.
 
Interesting that they don't note a date to comply by, except for new boat owners.

But, this announcement is of assembly passage, I expect it will need senate passage and then be signed by the governor.
 
While I agree people should become educated about boat operation, the course I took from Power Squadrons didn't teach me very much of any of the relevant subject matters....
 
From all of what I've been able to pick up, neighboring New Jersey saw a sharp reduction in boating mishaps when they moved to require all boaters to have a class. They did a "rapid implementation" where they didn't move birth year by one year each year, but five birth years every year. I hope NY doesn't try to implement this in one gulp.
I continue to dismiss on-line boater courses as worthless, along with any other "training" that is undertaken only to meet some "requirement." By that I mean somebody who will have do demonstrate actual operational mastery of the material. If it's just to "get your ticket punched" then it's easy to "click through" with little gain.
Also agree completely that classroom program can run from outstanding to awful, depending on who does it, and how.
 
It may not be perfect, but at least it’s a step in the right direction.
They need to have more enforcement too. There seemed to be lots of law enforcement boats, Police & Bay Constables, on the water in the 3 or 4 days leading up to Memorial Day. I don’t know where they disappeared to after that, but it was nice having them out there.
 
Sorry but the whole thing is asinine and it will not save a single life.

The fact remains those people were struck on the starboard side. They were the give way vessel and they were as responsible for keeping a proper lookout as was the other vessel. 13 years is a long time to continue trying to make the rest of the world responsible for their own mistake.

There isn't anything in a boating safety class that those on both vessels involved weren't fully aware of at the time.
 
It's especially galling considering that the county had already passed a law that would require all residents boating in county waters to have a certificate. The state legislature then went to the trouble of passing a law to only require those born after a certain date to have one, which actually nullified Suffolk's law. Now they change their minds? If this is such an urgent problem, why didn't they do something about it 4 years ago when they had the chance?
 
I've said it before, All of these deadly accidents always have to do with speed. Most of them are at night. Alcohol is sometimes a contributing factor, but it is the speed that kills. If they wanted do do something that would be easily enforceable make the speed limit 15 mph from dusk to dawn.
This law they are trying to enact is going to be useless. I mean what are they going to do, pull people over to see if they have a boating certificate? That's ridiculous, they don't enforce 5 mph/no wake. It's just a knee jerk reaction to a horrible tragedy.
It would be easy for cops to pick out the speeders at night and get some probable drunk drivers off the water. Just my 2 cents.

Billy K.
 
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