Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H2405 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 421 FILED ON: 1/12/2023
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2405
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	William M. Straus
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act relative to kayak safety.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:William M. Straus10th Bristol1/12/2023 1 of 2
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 421 FILED ON: 1/12/2023
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2405
18	18	By Representative Straus of Mattapoisett, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2405) of
19	19	William M. Straus relative to kayak safety. Public Safety and Homeland Security.
20	20	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
21	21	SEE HOUSE, NO. 2528 OF 2021-2022.]
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
25	25	(2023-2024)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act relative to kayak safety.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 SECTION 1. Section 1 of chapter 90B of the General laws, as appearing in the 2016
31	31	2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the definition of “Boating accident” the
32	32	3following definition:-
33	33	4 “Canoe”, a narrow, light boat, the sides of which meet in a point at each end, which is
34	34	5moved by 1 or more paddles.
35	35	6 SECTION 2. Said section 1 of said chapter 90B, as so appearing, is hereby further
36	36	7amended by inserting after the definition of “Jet skis” the following definition:-
37	37	8 “Kayak”, a lightweight boat that is covered, except for a single or double opening in the
38	38	9center, which is propelled by a paddle. 2 of 2
39	39	10 SECTION 3. Said section 5A of said chapter 90B, as so appearing, is hereby futher
40	40	11amended by inserting in the first sentence after the word “vessel” the following:-
41	41	12 “including canoes and kayaks”
42	42	13 SECTION 4. Said chapter 90B is hereby further amended by inserting after section 13A
43	43	14the following section:¬-
44	44	15 Section 13B. Whoever holds himself out as a kayak instructor for hire shall obtain and
45	45	16maintain:
46	46	17 (i) first aid training approved by the department of public health;
47	47	18 (ii) cardiopulmonary resuscitation training approved by the department of public health;
48	48	19and
49	49	20 (iii) a kayak instructor certification from the American Canoe Association, small craft
50	50	21safety certification from the American Red Cross and basic water rescue or equivalent water
51	51	22training.
52	52	23 The instructor shall train students on the safety procedures appropriate to the level of
53	53	24paddling difficulty. Wet exit training shall be required of all beginners and novice level operators
54	54	25who use an attached spray skirt during any part of the kayak instructional session. For the
55	55	26purposes of this section, “wet exit training” shall mean the practice of escaping from a capsized
56	56	27kayak in a controlled water setting. A liability release that limits an instructor’s responsibility to
57	57	28comply with this section shall be void.