Boating Safety Course Will Soon Be Mandatory In CNY

The New York State Senate passed new regulations for those 'driving a boat' in NY.

The new law would be "An act to amend the navigation law, to Brianna's Law."  In 2005, Brianna Lieneck, age 11, was fatally injured in a boating collision that also injured other members of her family.

Before Brianna's Law, new boat owners were exempt from the requirement to complete a safety course for up to 120 days after the purchase of a vessel and only applied to operators born after May 1, 1996.

The new legislation would require any individual who operates a mechanically propelled vessel along the navigable waters of the state, regardless of age or length of boat ownership, to complete a boating safety course approved by the commissioner of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

The bill has passed the Senate and is currently being sent to Governor Cuomo for his signature, and will go into effect January 1, 2020, for those born on or after January 1, 1993. See more age group regulations details HERE.