Full Text of HR0770 98th General Assembly
HR0770 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, According to the Illinois Department of Natural | 3 | | Resources 2012 Recreational Boating Report, there were 101 | 4 | | United States Coast Guard (USCG) reportable watercraft | 5 | | accidents during federal fiscal year 2012 in Illinois, | 6 | | resulting in 69 injuries and 19 fatalities; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, In federal fiscal year 2012, Conservation Police | 8 | | Officers inspected 20,015 vessels, and provided assistance to a | 9 | | combination of 2,231 persons and vessels; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, Boating accident reports indicate the majority of | 11 | | accidents occur between June and July, on Saturday or Sunday, | 12 | | between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m.; conditions are usually clear with | 13 | | good visibility, light winds, and calm water; and
| 14 | | WHEREAS, Most accidents involve operators between the ages | 15 | | of 20 and 40 with over 100 hours of boating experience but have | 16 | | little or no classroom boating safety instruction; and
| 17 | | WHEREAS, In the majority of the 19 fatal accidents in | 18 | | federal fiscal year 2012, the operators had no formal boat | 19 | | safety education; and
| 20 | | WHEREAS, Ten of the 19 fatalities involved drug or alcohol |
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| 1 | | impairment; with the leading type of fatal accidents involving | 2 | | falls overboard; and
| 3 | | WHEREAS, Current Illinois law provides that persons at | 4 | | least 12 years of age but less than 18 years of age may only | 5 | | operate a motorboat if they have in their possession a valid | 6 | | Boating Education Certificate of Competency issued by the | 7 | | Illinois Department of Natural Resources Safety Education | 8 | | Division or they are accompanied on the motorboat and under | 9 | | direct control of a parent or guardian, or a person at least 18 | 10 | | years of age designated by a parent or guardian; and
| 11 | | WHEREAS, There is no requirement in Illinois for anyone | 12 | | over the age of 18 to complete a Boating Education Course | 13 | | before operating a motorboat; and
| 14 | | WHEREAS, The Illinois Boat Registration and Safety Act | 15 | | states that the Department of Natural Resources may cooperate | 16 | | with schools, private clubs, and other organizations in | 17 | | offering boating safety courses throughout the State of | 18 | | Illinois; and
| 19 | | WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Natural Resources | 20 | | should increase efforts to have more boaters voluntarily | 21 | | participate in boating safety courses; therefore, be it
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| 1 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 2 | | NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 3 | | we urge the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to work | 4 | | with boat rental businesses, boating clubs, and other | 5 | | organizations to encourage Illinois boaters to participate in | 6 | | boating safety courses; and be it further
| 7 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 8 | | delivered to the Director of Natural Resources, for the | 9 | | Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
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