Little, Stec urge adoption of boating safety bills

State Senator Betty Little and Assemblyman Dan Stec have written a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo urging approval of two measures that would help improve safety for the boating public.

The first bill (S.3785a/A.1597a) would require a sentencing judge to consider whether  someone convicted of Boating While Intoxicated (BWI) has a previous Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) conviction.  Currently, there is no legal linkage between the two statutes, making it possible to be sentenced as a first-time offender for boating while intoxicated despite previous and perhaps multiple convictions of driving while intoxicated.
    
The second measure (S.6918/A.9494) would authorize the Lake George Park Commission to increase boat dock fees.  The fees, which have not been increased in 14 years, are used to maintain programs public safety and water quality protection.  The Lake George Park Commission operating budget supports 12 seasonal marine patrol officers and boating and public safety programs comprise 40 percent of its annual costs.

“These measures passed both houses with overwhelming support,” said Senator Betty Little.  “My hope, in light of the terrible tragedy on Lake George and the public’s desire to see safety improve on Lake George, is that these two initiatives would be taken up sooner than later while we work to address issues specific to Log Bay Day.”

“The tragic events surrounding this year’s Log Bay Day has underscored the need to ensure that public safety needs are adequately addressed on Lake George,” said Assemblyman Dan Stec.  “I encourage the Governor to sign into law both of these bills while we consider other appropriate measures.”

Governor Cuomo would have ten days to act on each measure once delivered to his office.  Because hundreds of bills are passed by both houses each session, legislation is delivered in small, manageable groups in the months following the end of Legislative Session, which allows the Executive time to study each one before acting.  Little and Stec are requesting that both bills move forward as soon as possible.

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