PRINTER'S NO. 3567
No. 506 Session of 2000
INTRODUCED BY FAIRCHILD, ARGALL, ARMSTRONG, BAKER, BARD, BARRAR,
BASTIAN, BEBKO-JONES, BROWNE, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPABIANCA,
L. I. COHEN, M. COHEN, CORRIGAN, DeWEESE, DONATUCCI, FARGO,
FICHTER, FLEAGLE, FLICK, FRANKEL, GEORGE, GODSHALL, HERSHEY,
MAJOR, MANDERINO, MASLAND, McNAUGHTON, MELIO, R. MILLER,
S. MILLER, MUNDY, ORIE, PESCI, PHILLIPS, PIPPY, PISTELLA,
READSHAW, ROBERTS, RUBLEY, SANTONI, SATHER, SCHRODER,
SCHULER, STABACK, TANGRETTI, WALKO, WILLIAMS AND WRIGHT,
MAY 15, 2000
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MAY 15, 2000
A RESOLUTION
1 Recognizing the week of May 20 through 26, 2000, as "National
2 Safe Boating Week."
3 WHEREAS, Recreational boating is fun and highly enjoyable,
4 and this Commonwealth is fortunate to have sufficient water
5 resources for pleasure boating; and
6 WHEREAS, More than 2.5 million people engage in recreational
7 boating on waters of this Commonwealth each year; and
8 WHEREAS, The sport of boating not only provides outdoor
9 recreation, but it also contributes some $1.7 billion of
10 economic input to this Commonwealth; and
11 WHEREAS, While being a marvelous source of recreation,
12 boating, to the unprepared, can involve some risks; and
13 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth has been a leader among states in
14 its boating education programs; and
1 WHEREAS, Some 30,000 Pennsylvanians successfully completed
2 safe boating courses in 1999; and
3 WHEREAS, The most common cause of boating accidents is human
4 error or poor judgment, as shown by a lack of knowledge or
5 obedience of the Rules of the Road, excessive consumption of
6 alcohol by boat operators or choosing not to wear a life jacket;
7 and
8 WHEREAS, About 800 people die in boating accidents throughout
9 the United States each year; and
10 WHEREAS, In 1999, ten Pennsylvanians lost their lives in
11 boating accidents; and
12 WHEREAS, Many boating accidents are preventable if boat
13 operators use good judgment and know the Rules of the Road; and
14 WHEREAS, A significant number of boaters who lose their lives
15 by drowning each year would be alive today if they had worn
16 their life jackets; and
17 WHEREAS, Modern life jackets are more comfortable, more
18 attractive and more wearable than styles of years past; and
19 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's boaters can "Boat Smart From the
20 Start" by observing the Rules of the Road and wearing life
21 jackets; and
22 WHEREAS, The week of May 20 through 26, 2000, has been
23 designated as "National Safe Boating Week" by the North American
24 Safe Boating Campaign; therefore be it
25 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
26 week of May 20 through 26, 2000, as "National Safe Boating Week"
27 and urge all Pennsylvania boaters to practice safe boating
28 practices throughout the boating year.
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