NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A4000
SPONSOR: Santabarbara TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the navigation law, in relation to requiring that
vessels used to tow a person display a flag
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL::
Requires vessels towing a person to have a flag on display in order to
signal to other vessels that there is someone in tow and caution propor-
tionate to this additional hazard must be exercised.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS::
Section 1 of the navigation law is amended to by adding a new 2 subdivi-
sion 4-b to read as follows:
No person shall use or operate a vessel to tow a person without display-
ing a flag in a visible manner such that operators of other vessels in
the area may reasonably determine that: a person being towed is in the
water; or a person is either preparing to be towed or is finishing being
towed. The flag required pursuant to paragraph (a)of this subdivision
shall be colored international orange, at least twelve square inches in
size, and mounted on a boarding handle or other safety handle.
JUSTIFICATION::
Currently in NYS Navigation Law, there is no standardized requirement
for safety signal on watercrafts such as boats to indicate that a person
is in tow. This law seeks to address this gap by requiring a flag mount-
ed in a visible location on a vessel with someone in tow for the purpose
of warning other moving vessels.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY::
None
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS::
None
EFFECTIVE DATE::
This act shall take effect immediately after it becomes law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4000
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 30, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the navigation law, in relation to requiring that
vessels used to tow a person display a flag
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 73 of the navigation law is amended by adding a new
2 subdivision 4-b to read as follows:
3 4-b. (a) No person shall use or operate a vessel to tow a person with-
4 out displaying a flag in a visible manner such that operators of other
5 vessels in the area may reasonably determine that:
6 (i) a person being towed is in the water; or
7 (ii) a person is either preparing to be towed or is finishing being
8 towed.
9 (b) The flag required pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivision
10 shall be:
11 (i) colored international orange;
12 (ii) at least twelve square inches in size; and
13 (iii) mounted on a boarding handle or other safety handle.
14 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07583-01-5
