Deaths on Party Boats Have Texas Officials Pushing for New State Laws

By Thomas Hall

Published on September 20, 2006

Maj. Alfonso Campos, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s chief of marine enforcement, says no laws exist that specifically apply to commercial boats on Texas waters because there is not much shipping along the state’s rivers. Campos and the senior deputy for the Travis County sheriff’s office lake patrol unit say Texas should have laws that are more in line with the U.S. Coast Guard’s standards for commercially operated boats, which include everything from large ships to party vessels.

Boating officials from all over the nation, including Campos, will be attending a National Transportation Safety Board symposium this fall to discuss the variance of boating laws from state to state. The officials will be working with each other to determine what regulations have worked in their areas.

Campos says he may recommend requiring licenses for commercial boat captains in Texas, which would require certification through certified marine instructors and a demonstrated ability to operate vessels.

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