(Sacramento, CA) – Assemblymember James C. Ramos (D – Highland) is pleased to announce that his bill clarifying who is legally held accountable for operating a vessel on our state’s waterways has cleared the Assembly chamber and will now move to the Senate.
“I’m proud my colleagues in the Assembly agree we should remove ambiguity from the laws that keep us safe. Determining who is held accountable when operating a vessel helps reduce risky behavior on our waterways and gives local law enforcement the ability to patrol our waters effectively,” said Assemblymember Ramos.
Current law regarding vessel operation is based on motor vehicle law, which defines the operator as whoever is steering the boat. Because of the differences between driving a vehicle and operating a vessel, this mismatch has created situations where it can become difficult for public safety officers to enforce proper behavior on the state’s water ways.
Tragically, AB 1183 was spurred by a case where a 14 year-old operator ran over and killed a 12-year old, while the supervising adult on the vessel was found to be under the influence. In this instance, the current definition of operator was too loose, given he wasn’t technically steering the vessel, and the adult was not charged.
AB 1183, sponsored by the California State Sheriffs’ Association and joint-authored by Assemblymember Jay Obernolte (R – Hesperia), ensures that those who engage in reckless and dangerous behavior are held to account. It is not uncommon to find minors operating a vessel under the supervision of an adult who is under the influence. By closing the loophole of defining who is the operator, adults can now be held criminally liable for operating a vessel under the influence or for other violations, should an unlicensed, underage person be driving the boat.
AB 1183 will now head to the Senate.
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For Immediate Release
Monday, May 6, 2019
Contact: Brendan Wiles (909) 476-5023
Follow Assemblymember Ramos on social media: Facebook @AsmJamesRamos / Twitter @AsmJamesRamos / Instagram @asmjamesramos
Assemblymember James Ramos proudly represents the 40th Assembly district which includes Highland, Loma Linda, Mentone, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, and San Bernardino.