Rep. Steve Israel introduces boater safety bill
Rep. Steve Israel (D-3rd District) is introducing legislation to require new boats up to 45 feet long to display maximum capacity signs. Only boats under 20 feet currently need the capacity signs.
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Apr 26, 2014, 2:12 AM
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Updated 3,832 days ago
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Rep. Steve Israel (D-3rd District) is introducing legislation to require new boats up to 45 feet long to display maximum capacity signs.
Only boats under 20 feet currently need the capacity signs.
The bill follows last summer's capsizing of a powerboat off Oyster Bay that killed three small children. Investigators determined the boat had been dangerously overloaded.
"That was a tragedy, but it also served as a wake-up call," says Israel.
The U.S. Coast Guard says capsizing and falls overboard due to overloaded boats account for more than half of all boating fatalities.
The bill would also fund more boater education classes. The legislation would allocate money for education from funds collected through federal marine fuel taxes.
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