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Committee advances 'Lucy's Law' to strengthen penalties for reckless boating after parents' testimony
Summary
Senators reported CS for CS for SB 628 favorably after sponsor Senator Martin described the measure as enhancing penalties for leaving the scene of a vessel accident and reckless vessel operation; bereaved parents delivered emotional testimony urging passage.
The Senate Committee on Fiscal Policy reported CS for CS for SB 628, known in the hearing as "Lucy's Law," favorably after sponsor Senator Nick Martin described the bill as a measure to "align boating laws more closely with motor vehicle laws to increase accountability and safety on our waterways."
During public comment, Melissa Fernandez and her husband Andy, parents of a 17-year-old named Lucy who died in a 2022 boating crash, urged senators to pass the bill. Melissa Fernandez recounted the crash, said investigators found GPS evidence that the vessel "traveled in a straight line with an increase in speed on the wrong side of the channel," and described her family's belief that the criminal response to the crash fell short: "When charges were finally brought forward after an 11 month investigation, they amounted to little more than a traffic ticket."
Senator Martin withdrew two pending amendments and presented the underlying bill, explaining it establishes penalties for leaving the scene of a vessel accident and for reckless operation, and includes defences. He told the committee he was coordinating with stakeholders on language. Several supporters waved in; there was no extended debate after public comment. Senator Martin closed by thanking the parents for their advocacy.
The committee then called the roll and recorded a favorable report. The committee's action sends the bill toward the Senate floor.
