BOATS/SHIPS/VESSELS: Urges and requests the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to submit annual reports to certain legislative committees regarding boating safety

HLS 26RS-4003 ENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 94
BY REPRESENTATIVE FONTENOT
BOATS/SHIPS/VESSELS: Urges and requests the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
to submit annual reports to certain legislative committees regarding boating safety
1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
2 To urge and request the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to submit annual
3 reports to the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment and the
4 Senate Committee on Natural Resources regarding boating safety.
5 WHEREAS, the mission of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
6 (LDWF) Law Enforcement Division is to minimize the loss of life, personal injury, and
7 property damage incurred in recreational boating; and
8 WHEREAS, numerous boating incidents and fatalities occur within Louisiana every
9 year, but most can be prevented through education and boating safety regulation compliance;
10 and
11 WHEREAS, the LDWF receives approximately two million three hundred thousand
12 dollars from the United States Coast Guard for the implementation of the state's recreational
13 boating safety program each year; and
14 WHEREAS, Louisiana law has historically authorized suspicionless stops, consistent
15 with federal regulation, for boating safety compliance based on the comprehensive
16 regulatory tradition of vessels, the impracticability of waterway checkpoints, the unique
17 enforcement challenges of navigable waters, and the compelling public safety interest in
18 seaworthy vessels; and
19 WHEREAS, House Bill 756 and Senate Bill 243 of the 2026 Regular Session of the
20 Legislature established a Fourth Amendment-style reasonable suspicion standard for boating
21 safety stops; and
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HLS 26RS-4003 ENGROSSED
HCR NO. 94
1 WHEREAS, the Legislature of Louisiana wants to be sure that establishing an
2 individualized standard for boating safety compliance stops and checks does not have
3 negative impacts to the safety of Louisiana citizens on the water.
4 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
5 urge and request the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to provide annual
6 boating safety compliance reports to the House Committee on Natural Resources and
7 Environment and the Senate Committee on Natural Resources at least thirty days prior to the
8 convening of the Regular Session of the Legislature containing the following information:
9 (1) The number of boating incidents.
10 (2) The number of boating fatalities.
11 (3) The number of boating safety related stops.
12 (4) The number of citations issued at stops.
13 (5) The number of vessels registered in the state.
14 (6) State expenditures on the boating safety program.
15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
16 secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 94 Engrossed 2026 Regular Session Fontenot
Urges and requests the Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries to submit annual reports to the House
Committee on Natural Resources and Environment and the Senate Committee on Natural
Resources regarding boating safety at least 30 days prior to the convening of the R.S.
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