ENROLLED 2015 Regular Session HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 137 BY REPRESENTATIVE LAMBERT A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION To designate May 16 through May 22, 2015, as Safe Boating Week in Louisiana. WHEREAS, the United States has over thirteen million boats, and three hundred twenty-one thousand of those boats can be found on Louisiana waters; and WHEREAS, the vast majority of boating accidents are caused by human error or poor judgment and not by the boat, equipment, or environmental factors; and WHEREAS, seventy-five percent of our state's fatalities on the water are due to drowning, usually involving boaters who were not wearing a personal flotation device; and WHEREAS, a significant number of boaters who lost their lives by drowning would be alive today had they worn their life jackets; and WHEREAS, while boats are a marvelous source of recreation and enjoyment, inexperienced and uneducated boat operators are a risk to themselves and other boaters when they do not know or obey the navigation rules, drink alcohol or take drugs while operating a boat, or choose not to wear a life jacket; and WHEREAS, a single precaution, wearing a life jacket, could save eighty percent of the lives of those who fall into the water unexpectedly; and WHEREAS, boating knowledge and skills are important to the reduction of human error and improving judgment; if people are aware of a risk, they are more likely to take the precautionary measures to protect themselves, their friends, family, and others from that risk, which is why it is important to spread the message of boating safety education in our state. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby designate May 16 through May 22, 2015, as Safe Boating Week in the state of Louisiana. Page 1 of 2 HCR NO. 137 ENROLLED BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE Page 2 of 2