SR 81 Louisiana Senate · 2026 Regular Session

SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH: Designates May 16 through 23, 2026, as Safe Boating Week in Louisiana.

This bill designates the week of May 16 through 23, 2026, as Safe Boating Week in Louisiana to raise awareness about water safety. The resolution encourages residents to follow safe boating practices, such as wearing life jackets and avoiding alcohol while operating a boat, to reduce injuries and fatalities. It highlights that most boating accidents result from human error and notes that the majority of drowning victims were not wearing life vests. The measure is a symbolic gesture aimed at promoting education and responsible behavior among boaters in the state.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Apr 2026

Committee Review

Senate Passage

Apr 2026

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Apr 15, 2026 Last action Apr 27, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

SR81 Original → SR81 Enrolled · 4 edits · Apr 27, 2026

MODERATE

The enrolled version of the bill includes substantive text updates to the 'Whereas' clauses to align with current statistics and Coast Guard safety guidelines, specifically updating the year for drowning statistics to 2024 and clarifying the role of engine cut-off switches. The core policy action remains unchanged: designating May 16 through 23, 2026, as Safe Boating Week in Louisiana.

Scope change

The scope of the designation remains the same, but the supporting rationale and data cited in the resolution have been updated to reflect more recent safety statistics and clearer safety mechanisms.

REQUIREMENT

Updated the description of engine cut-off switches to clarify that boats will continue operating if operators fall overboard without them, emphasizing the safety risk.

Revised the list of unsafe behaviors to explicitly include 'take drugs' alongside drinking alcohol and not wearing life jackets.

Changed the phrasing regarding boating incidents to specify that the vast majority are caused by human error or poor judgment rather than equipment or environmental factors.

TIMELINE

Updated the drowning statistics to reflect data from 2024 instead of a previous year.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read by title and adopted.

upper

Apr 15, 2026

Introduced

Introduced in the Senate. Read by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors