Hours after an article (“Making waves,” Sept. 18) about SB 941—a bill that seeks to reform California boating safety education—ran in New Times, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed the bill into law.
SB 941 will require that all recreational boat operators apply for a “vessel operator card” through a staggered process slated to begin in 2018. The law should apply to everyone by 2025.
In a Sept. 19 news release, bill co-author Sen. Bill Monning (D-Carmel) said that requiring first-time boaters to pass a safety exam will “save lives, decrease the number of boating accidents, and enhance public safety on the state’s waterways.”
This article appears in Sep 25 – Oct 2, 2014.
