Raleigh — Rep. Michael H. Wray has introduced legislation that would improve boating safety on the state’s public waters.
House Bill 39 would require boaters who want to operate in the state’s public waters to first meet safety education requirement if the boat has a motor of 10 horsepower or more. The provision was recommended by the Joint Select Committee on Mandatory Boating Safety Education. Rep. Wray was a co-chair of the committee.
“I am pleased to introduce legislation addressing boating safety education so that future citizens of North Carolina will be well informed of safety requirements while boating,” Rep. Wray said. “I strongly support enacting the boating safety legislation that will reduce the loss of life of our citizens.”
The legislation would phase in the requirement by age, requiring boaters 20 and younger to meet the requirement by July 11, 2011. All boaters would have to meet the requirement by 2016.
Rep. Wray is a Democrat in his third term representing Northampton, Vance and Warren counties. Last session, he was chairman of the Education Subcommittee on Community Colleges and vice chairman of the Wildlife Resources committee.