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| 4 | 3 | | |
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| 5 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 6 | 5 | | WHEREAS, On July 20, 2012, 16-year-old Kali Gorzell of San |
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| 7 | 6 | | Antonio lost her life in a boating accident on Aransas Bay, when the |
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| 8 | 7 | | flats boat she was riding in unexpectedly swapped ends, ejecting |
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| 9 | 8 | | her into the water; since that tragic day, her family has worked |
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| 10 | 9 | | tirelessly to address safety concerns and raise public awareness of |
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| 11 | 10 | | the potential operational defects of the hull designs of flats |
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| 12 | 11 | | boats; and |
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| 13 | 12 | | WHEREAS, In response to a consumer safety defect complaint |
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| 14 | 13 | | filed by the Gorzell family, the United States Coast Guard hired an |
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| 15 | 14 | | independent contractor in 2013 to conduct a study on the safety of |
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| 16 | 15 | | flats boats; the evaluation found design flaws that, under certain |
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| 17 | 16 | | conditions, made the boats vulnerable to swapping ends events |
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| 18 | 17 | | during routine operation; and |
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| 19 | 18 | | WHEREAS, The coast guard later published the report in its |
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| 20 | 19 | | Fall 2014 Boating Safety Circular and shared operational practices |
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| 21 | 20 | | for flats boats; these guidelines include having passengers occupy |
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| 22 | 21 | | areas of the vessel behind the console, where handholds are more |
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| 23 | 22 | | accessible, operating with the motor fully engaged with the water |
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| 24 | 23 | | in a down position, and avoiding aggressive turns at speeds above 25 |
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| 25 | 24 | | miles per hour; and |
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| 26 | 25 | | WHEREAS, In addition to the coast guard's instructions, the |
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| 27 | 26 | | Texas Parks and Wildlife Department advises the public to wear life |
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| 28 | 27 | | jackets, use a kill switch, and take a boating safety course to |
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| 29 | 28 | | ensure optimal protection while on the water; and |
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| 30 | 29 | | WHEREAS, Responsible boating practices help ensure safe and |
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| 31 | 30 | | enjoyable water recreation and are of paramount importance to |
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| 32 | 31 | | boaters of all ages and skill levels; now, therefore, be it |
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| 33 | 32 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 34 | 33 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Kali Gorzell and |
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| 35 | 34 | | encourage boaters and anglers to heed warning labels and to employ |
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| 36 | 35 | | safe boating practices; and, be it further |
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| 37 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 38 | 37 | | prepared for the Gorzell family in recognition of their steadfast |
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| 39 | 38 | | resolve to educate the public on boating safety in the aftermath of |
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| 40 | 39 | | their beloved daughter's passing. |
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