California boater safety law approved
By Parimal M. Rohit, The Log
A recently approved law in California aims to finally address the state’s loose governance of recreational boaters navigating its many waterways. Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law a boater safety bill requiring all boaters in California to be in possession of a vessel operator card and pass a safety course.
While the new law will help shore up safety concerns on California’s waterways, there are many common sense and basic steps recreational boaters and other aquatic users can take to ensure a safe coexistence.
Co-authored by state senators Bill Monning, D-Carmel, and Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, Senate Bill 941 specifically requires recreational boaters to pass a sanctioned boating education course and obtain a vessel operator card in order to operate a motorized boat.
Both Monning and DeSaulnier pushed the bill as promoting boater safety and helping prevent common accidents.