On Wednesday, the state Senate approved a bill that requires certain children to wear life preservers on certain boats. The vote was 22-11. I voted against the bill that now goes to the state Assembly.
This is one of those classic pieces of legislation that on the surface sounds wonderful. There’s an old saying in politics: the devil is the details.
Current Wisconsin law states that each boat must have on it a personal flotation device for each person riding in or on the boat. That certainly sounds reasonable and sufficient.
Senate Bill 16 moves Wisconsin another step toward becoming a nanny state. The bill mandates that a person may not operate a recreational boat that is less than 26 feet in length unless, during the time the boat is under way, every person on the boat who is 12 years old or younger is wearing a personal flotation device or is in a cabin space or below the deck.
This isn’t quite as extreme as
the child safety seat law, but it does sound very much like a “booster seats for boats” bill. Every time the boat is in motion, every child on the boat must be wearing a life preserver.
Everyone cares about boat safety. Everyone cares about children. Legislation to mandate life preservers for children anytime a boat is under way is unnecessary. Parents or adults aboard can use the proper discretion. Government should not assume the role of parenting. Current law is appropriate and doesn’t need to be changed.
