Maine bill would require life jacket wear on all boats

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:34 pm

This apeared on the BoatUS website. Thought it might be of interest to all you Mainers.

Maine

February, 2009

Bill would require life jacket wear on all boats

A bill now before the Maine State Legislature, HP 143, LD 164, would make it mandatory, with certain very limited exceptions, that “everyone in a watercraft wear a personal flotation device.”

As written, the bill appears to apply to all boats, their operators and all passengers, on all waters of the state. It contains no qualifying language relative to boat type or size, or age of persons aboard.

The bill was referred to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife on Jan 21 and as of Feb 20, there had been no action.

Sponsor: Rep. Watson of Bath Cosponsors: Sen Damon of Hancock, Rep. Percy of Phippsburg, Sen Trahan of Lincoln

To view the bill text, Click Here:

http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/b ... 014301.pdf

David · Post by **David** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:00 pm

Seat belts will be next.

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:50 pm

I thought they had backed down on that - is it back? (or did I mis-read)

Darn! (As, in my opinion, it was written in a really dumb way, excluding the very people who would - if anyone did have to be legistlated to wear them - benefit from them the most). Just sounded like a really poorly thought out piece of work.

Rachel

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:57 pm

I went back to see what it was I had read about this. Here is the text from a thread on the CSBB. Gail is a poster who lives in Maine. I'll copy the text here and also link to the forum post. Given the topic, and the fact that she posted originally (in a prior thread) to publicize it, I don't think she would mind.

Update on the proposal for mandatory PFD law in Maine
Posted By: Gail
Date: 2/14/09 5:45p.m.

Take this good news with a grain of salt, but I heard it from a friend who... heard it from a friend who... wrote to the sponsor of the bill. The reply:

"LD 164 has been withdrawn and will not be proposed this session. The bill was not drafted the way I and the other sponsors wanted - we were concerned primarily with the 15 deaths suffered last season, mostly due to lack of PFDs being used on canoes and kayaks..."

I stand corrected on any skepticism I expressed here and elsewhere with regard to the efficacy of writing to the sponsor!

Considering initiatives that have taken place in other states concerning paddlers, this makes some sense. We did have some highly publicized padding fatalities last year.

Nonetheless, it would be wise to continue to watch this and make sure it doesn't rear its ugly head. We also need to keep in mind that not all the bills in the hopper are posted on the state's web site yet, and it's not at all unusual for new stuff to be submitted at the last minute (despite the cloture deadline in January).

So a bit of a reprieve at least.

http://cruising.sailboatowners.com/foru ... ead=142318

So, I wonder if it has reared its ugly head again? Or? Gail hasn't posted further on the topic - of course that doesn't mean it's not back.

If I remember correctly one of the problems people had with it is that it exluded kayakers (ironically).

Rachel

Post by **Tim** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 7:19 am

I would really like to avoid this thread going down the political rant path. Since I could easily become the worst offender, I won't say anything. I have plenty to say, though.

Since the root of this thread is purely political, let's end it. I can't imagine what could be said here that would have any benefit and avoid politics.