The Brianna Lieneck Boating Safety Act of 2025 requires a study and report on recreational vessel operator training programs to improve boating safety standards and uniformity across states.
Andrew Garbarino
Representative
NY-2
The "Brianna Lieneck Boating Safety Act of 2025" requires the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating to study and report on recreational vessel operator training programs. This study will review various training programs, course materials, and methodologies to improve boating safety. The report will include recommendations for minimum education standards, harmonization of federal and state programs, and options for experienced boaters. Ultimately, the goal is to enhance boater education and training to reduce risks and improve safety on recreational vessels.
Brianna Lieneck Boating Safety Act Mandates Coast Guard Study on Recreational Boater Training Within 180 Days
This legislation, the Brianna Lieneck Boating Safety Act of 2025, directs the Coast Guard's parent department to kick off a comprehensive study into how recreational boat operators are trained. The goal is to deliver a report to Congress within 180 days, taking a hard look at the current state of boater education across the country.
Mapping the Waters: What the Study Will Cover
The core of this bill is information gathering. The study required by Section 2 isn't just a quick glance; it's a deep dive into existing training programs. This includes courses offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Power Squadrons, state-level programs (often guided by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, or NASBLA), and other hands-on training providers. They'll be scrutinizing everything from the actual course materials and content to the teaching and testing methods used. A key question is whether current training actually addresses the real risks boaters face out on the water.
Setting the Course: Harmonizing State Rules and Eyeing Federal Standards
A big piece of this review focuses on how states handle boater education. The study will assess how well states are coordinating their training requirements, whether someone certified in one state is recognized in another (reciprocity), and how uniform the education is among states that already mandate it. It also asks the Coast Guard to explore what minimum training standards should look like nationwide and analyze how a potential federal training and testing program could work alongside existing state systems. Think of it as figuring out if there's a way to get everyone on the same page, or at least reading from similar playbooks.
Real-World Ready: Training Content and Experienced Boaters
The study also gets practical, examining if course content truly matches boating risks and how states phase in mandatory education – does a gradual rollout affect course availability or cost? Another interesting point is the 'bypass option'. The report needs to look at how states currently let experienced boaters skip the full course and go straight to the test, and make recommendations on how this could work fairly. This addresses a common question: if you've been boating safely for decades, do you really need the same introductory course as a complete novice?
Who Runs the Ship? Figuring Out Administration
Finally, the study has to consider the nuts and bolts. If a federal program were created, how would the Coast Guard actually run it? And should federal standards apply everywhere in a state, including lakes and rivers entirely within its borders? This legislation doesn't create new rules yet, but it lays the groundwork by mandating a thorough investigation into what effective, consistent, and practical boater education could look like across the U.S.