What is the history of the Boating Safety Education Bill?
Legislation requiring boat operators to take a boater safety education course in order to operate a boat in Washington state was signed into law by Governor Chris Gregoire on May 11, 2005. The legislation was developed by the Washington Alliance for Mandatory Boater Education (WAMBE). WAMBE is comprised of representatives from a variety of boating-related organizations. The alliance includes representatives of the boating industry, representatives of recreational boating groups, as well as government, law enforcement, and marine safety groups. WAMBE was formed in September 2002 to improve recreational boating safety in Washington state. The law is patterned after similar legislation in Oregon and requires completion of a basic boating class, or passage of an equivalency exam, to obtain a Boater Education Card. The Boater Education Card is required for operation of a motorboat with 15 horsepower or more. Like the Oregon law, the Washington law will have a phased-in period for compliance
