“I think it’s great that people are taking advantage of our state’s lakes and rivers. They’re a great place for family fun. However, we need to keep everyone safe. We need to keep the lakes clean. And we need to make sure that they stay open to everyone.” - State Senator Julie Morrison

Deerfield, IL – Due to her impressive advocacy for increased safety on Illinois’ waterways, State Senator Julie Morrison has been tapped to lead an investigation into Illinois’ boater safety laws.

“We have law after law to ensure that people drive their cars safely. We need to make sure that we give watercraft the same scrutiny,” the Deerfield Democrat said. “A 1,000 pound boat can be every bit as deadly as a car.”

Morrison’s interest in waterway safety stems from personal tragedy. Her nephew, Tony Borcia, was killed by a drunken boat operator last year.

In response, Morrison passed legislation that will require boaters involved in serious accidents to submit to blood-alcohol-level tests. If the accident resulted in injury or death and the boat operators refuse, their driver’s licenses may be suspended.

Morrison’s Senate Special Committee on Watercraft Safety will build on her work to address the safety issues on Illinois’ increasingly crowded lakes and rivers. Safety issues have come to the forefront in suburban Lake County as more and more urban residents spend their weekends on the water, while the state and local authorities have less and less resources to enforce safety.

“We need to figure out the best way to use our resources to keep people safe,” Morrison said. “I think it’s great that people are taking advantage of our state’s lakes and rivers. They’re a great place for family fun. However, we need to keep everyone safe. We need to keep the lakes clean. And we need to make sure that they stay open to everyone.”

Morrison intends to schedule the first hearing later this summer.