HB 337 has passed both the House and Senate and his heading to the governor. If passed, it will require kill switch lanyards to be worn at all times the motor is running. I for one think this would be a pain when throwing the net or setting anchor. Please call Governor Abbott at (512) 463-2000 and ask him to veto this bill.

How did this happen .... they are mostly Republican and have common sense, and therefor should know we have common sense.

Good luck on enforcing it. We're not even required to wear PFD's unless we're in a tournament. Next they will want us to wear helmets.

I am one of the few that wears a life jacket all the time, but that is my choice. I can also see a valid reason for kill switches. I just prefer the state let me decide when to wear one and when not to.

What about some of the older motors, especially small ones, that don't have kill switches? How will that be handled?

Install one. I'm all for the law, maybe it will save a few lives on the party lakes.

Law with good intention but not a fan of it. I wear mine all the time but my first boat that was made in 1986 did not have one. If they force people to install one that's BS!

I don't mind as long as is with the big motor in gear, not idling and not the trolling motor. I like to keep my kill switch attached to my life jacket and take it on/off went I am ready to go or get where I am going, MLF style.

Here is the bill as passed. Will not require a boat that was not fitted with a kill switch originally to be retrofitted. If you have seen the video shot by Skeet Reese of the accident this past weekend on Table Rock you may think twice about not using the kill switch. I think they should have worded it as above idle speed instead of while underway.


86R3566 AAF-D

By: Larson H.B. No. 337



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT
relating to the use of emergency engine cutoff switches on
motorboats.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 31, Parks and Wildlife
Code, is amended by adding Section 31.1071 to read as follows:
Sec. 31.1071. OPERATION OF MOTORBOAT WITH EMERGENCY ENGINE
CUTOFF SWITCH. (a) In this section, "engine cutoff switch" means
an emergency switch installed on a motorboat that:
(1) is designed to shut off the engine if:
(A) the motorboat operator using a lanyard
attachment activates the switch by falling overboard or otherwise
moving beyond the length of the lanyard; or
(B) the motorboat operator or a passenger using a
wireless attachment activates the switch by falling overboard and
submerging a man-overboard transmitter; and
(2) attaches:
(A) physically to the motorboat operator through
the use of a lanyard worn by the operator; or
(B) wirelessly through the use of a
water-activated man-overboard transmitter worn by the motorboat
operator or any similarly equipped passenger on the motorboat.
(b) A motorboat operator may not operate a motorboat less
than 26 feet in length and equipped by the manufacturer with an
engine cutoff switch while the engine is running and the motorboat
is underway without first verifying that the switch is operational
and fully functional and:
(1) if using a lanyard attachment, properly attaching
the lanyard, as appropriate for the specific motorboat, to the
operator's body or to the clothing or personal flotation device
being worn by the operator; or
(2) if using a wireless attachment, properly attaching
to each individual on the motorboat an operational man-overboard
transmitter.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.

Quote from Act: while motor is running and motorboat is underway.
Underway is defined in maritime law is when outdirive is engaged and vessel is moving. So, idling while throwing a net or anchoring or anything other than motor in gear should be fine.

Disclaimer: I�m a huge proponent of personal choice! Same with motorcycle helmets. I like to choose when to wear it.
I did wear my life jacket today. Just a personal decision.

Alabama made me install one on my boat. Took me all of 30 minutes. 10 minutes was me crying because I had to drill a new hole in my console.

I think underway could be interpretated to mean not at anchor, aground, or tied off to a fixed object. I think they should have used the term "underway under power".

There are a lot of fishing activities that need the operator to be a few feet from the helm at very slow speeds (2-3 mph) like downrigging or trolling. If you have to kill the motor and come to a stop to land a fish with 4 lines out, think of the tangled mess.....

The way this reads also contradicts itself. I could handle this if I got a wireless kill switch but I don`t want on on every person in the boat.

"(B) the motorboat operator or a passenger using a wireless attachment"

"if using a wireless attachment, properly attaching to each individual on the motorboat"

So which is it? this is a poorly worded bill that is not thought through very well. Add "on plane" or at speed greater than 5 mph and I would be fine with it.

if using a wireless attachment, properly attaching
to each individual on the motorboat an operational man-overboard
transmitter.
The way you wrote it, changes it original meaning. You should post it as it is written.

if using a wireless attachment, properly attaching
to each individual on the motorboat an operational man-overboard
transmitter.

It is a direct quote, I did not rewrite anything. I was just pointing out the part that confused me. Perhaps it would have been better to repost the whole thing and highlight those sections.

It seems to me that if interpreted as all people in the boat have to wear a MOB device, that is much more restrictive than just the operator wearing a lanyard. It does not make sense that there would be additional restriction just because the connection to the kill switch is wireless instead of a lanyard.