Arizona House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee passes boater education
by National Marine Manufacturers Association 27 Feb 16:43 GMT
Advocacy Alert © National Marine Manufacturers Association
Earlier this month, the Arizona House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee voted to pass H.B. 2149: watercraft operation; minors; safety education, in a 9-2 vote. This marks the first step toward adopting boater education in the Grand Canyon State. As of today, Arizona is one of only five states without mandatory boater education.
In 2022, boating accidents killed 13 individuals, injured 60, and caused $1 million in damages across Arizona. Sponsored by State Representative David Cook (R-07) and State Senator Brian Fernandez (D-023), H.B. 2149 establishes a boater education program by requiring those born on or after January 1, 2007 operating a vessel over 50 HP to take a NASBLA-approved boater education course or presenting a boater safety card from another state.
Driven by Arizonans, H.B. 2149 has been championed across the state. Bullhead City resident, Bart Anderson, recently penned a letter to the editor in the Lake Havasu News-Herald. In the letter, Anderson called upon his experience as a Coast Guard Auxiliary Member stating that it is time Arizona pass boater education.
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