In August, New York Governor Andrew Coumo signed a new law into effect, named Brianna’s Law, requiring all operators of motorized watercraft to complete a state-approved safety course. The new law is named after Brianna Lieneck, who was only 11 years old when she died in a boating accident in 2005.
“There should be a basic level of knowledge that you have before you’re given the permission to go out there and operate a boat, and making a safety course mandatory is common sense,” Gov. Cuomo says. “It protects the operator of the boat and everyone that operator could come into contact with, and it will make our waters safer. It took a horrific accident to make this situation real for people, but through this law Brianna is saving lives and her love lives on.”
Gov. Cuomo also announced that the State Parks will create a promotional campaign to spread the word. The law will be fully implemented by 2025.
For more information, visit governor.ny.gov.
