Quote:
Originally Posted by BroadHopper
Memory is a little foggy on this, so correct me if I am wrong. During the SL debates someone did introduced a bill to add safety flags on paddle vessels or vessels of a certain length and some idiot tacked on a requirement that swimmers must wear a fluorescent cap. NHRBA/SBONH, I can't remember which supported the safety flag but not the swimmer's cap. The bill went ITL. The other camp supported the bill. The swimmer's cap was a hot debate!
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Different bills, different years. In the first SL round where there were hearings all around the lake, the House committee, which split on the SL, took all of the other problems that were cited by the public and drafted bills to get them all into their own hearing. (Biggest and most successful was new noise limits.) Some ideas, like lights on shore that look like nav lights passed. Others like flags, did not. The summer camps directors didn't like whistles because they said "If you give a kid a whistle, he'll blow it." Others said "You're supposed to be teaching safe boating." In the background, it was speculated that the SL folks (WinnFABS) didn't want other safety bills because it would detract from their focus on speed limits.
Swimming rules, kayaks, etc were discussed but there was no legislative enthusiasm.
After the SL passed, a separate bill went to the Transportation committee (HB224 of 2009) about pink swim caps 150 feet from shore. It passed the committee something like 15-0. Not the committee that usually deals with these issues. One speaker, a Water Safety Instructor, removed the bill from the consent calendar and spoke against it (Priscilla Lockwood). A committee member, as required, spoke in defense of the committee report. The bill failed in the range of 97 Yea to 201 Nay. Even the committee realized what a gaff they had made. No lengthy debate. Three minutes each side. BUT it did make some big headlines. Not much else for the papers to talk about that day, I guess.
This is one of the amusing stories that just sticks in your mind.