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Supporters tell House panel cold‑water life‑jacket requirement would save lives; lawmakers debate dates and scope
Summary
Witnesses backing S.326 told the House Transportation Committee that mandatory life‑jacket wear during cold months would reduce drowning risk; the panel debated whether the Nov.1–May1 window should be extended and sought clarity on 'open deck' language and enforcement responsibilities.
The Vermont House Transportation Committee heard extensive testimony April 9 on S.326, a bill that would require persons aboard vessels during cold‑water months to wear US Coast Guard‑approved wearable personal flotation devices when the vessel is underway and individuals are on open deck.
"It is simple. It is effective, and it saves lives," Jess Lucas, director of aquatics at the Greater Burlington YMCA and a member of the Water Safety Action Committee, told lawmakers. Lucas urged the panel to adopt the cold‑water life‑jacket requirement, saying Vermont's thousands of miles of rivers and hundreds of thousands of acres of lakes and wetlands make…
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