PRESS RELEASE
May 11, 2005	For immediate release
Contact: Steve Greaves, WAMBE Chair
sgreaves@portagebaysystems.com
206-371-0486

Boater Safety Education Bill
Signed by Governor Gregoire

OLYMPIA, WA, May 11, 2005 - Legislation that will require boat operators 
to take a boater safety education course in order to operate a boat in 
Washington State was signed into law by Washington Governor Christine 
Gregoire today.  The legislation was developed by the Washington Alliance 
for Mandatory Boater Education (WAMBE) and was passed by both the Senate 
and House during the recent legislative session.

The law is patterned after similar legislation in Oregon and will require 
completion of a basic boating class, or passage of an equivalency exam, to 
obtain a Boater Education Card.  The Boater Education Card will be 
required for operation of a boat with 15 horsepower or more.

"Up to now, 36 other states have had some sort of educational requirements 
for operating a boat, and now Washington is added to the list", commented 
Steve Greaves, Chairman of the WAMBE group.  "The Card is not like a 
driver's license.  It is obtained once and is good for life.  The Card 
indicates that the boat operator has a basic level of boating safety 
knowledge, like a diploma."

Like the Oregon law, the Washington law will have a phased-in period for 
compliance starting in 2008.  For example, boaters 30 years of age and 
younger will be required to obtain their Card by January 1, 2010.  Boaters 
born before January 1, 1955 will be exempt.

For the many thousands of Washington boaters who have already received a 
certificate of completion from a Coast Guard Auxiliary or U. S. Power 
Squadron boating safety class (or similar class), they need only supply a 
copy of their certificate along with a $10 administrative fee to receive 
their lifetime Boater Education Card under the new law.

- more -
 
Operators without a Card may operate a boat provided they are under the 
supervision of an adult with a Card.  Purchasers of new and used boats may 
operate their boats immediately and have 60 days after their purchase to 
obtain a Card.  Cards issued by other states will be recognized in 
Washington and the Washington Card will be recognized in other states and 
Canada.  

The Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission's Boating Safety 
Program will administer the provisions of the new law.  The administration 
of the law is totally supported by the $10 Card user fee.  The program is 
funded by boaters for boaters.

The WAMBE group was formed two years ago with the sole purpose being to 
develop and pass a bill concerning mandatory boater education in 
Washington.  "With a majority of states already having mandatory boater 
education laws on the books, it was only a matter of time before it would 
come to Washington State," said Michael Campbell, President of the 
Northwest Marine Trade Association - one of the founding groups of the 
alliance.  "We feel it's important to have a law that is fair to boaters, 
encourages safety on the water, and yet doesn't restrict access to 
boating."

WAMBE is comprised of representatives from a variety of boating-related 
organizations.  The alliance includes representatives of the boating 
industry, representatives of recreational boating groups, as well as 
government, law enforcement, and marine safety groups.  "We've tried to 
include representatives from all facets of the boating arena in WAMBE", 
commented David Kutz, Secretary of WAMBE and President of the Recreational 
Boating Association of Washington.  "This has been a real team effort 
resulting in a sensible law that has broad support among boaters."

The complete text of the new law and a complete listing of the 
organizations that have supported the concept of boater education in 
Washington are available on the WAMBE web site: www.wambe.org.