Kill switch WOULD have saved her. The operator was thrown to the bottom of the boat and the boat came around and hit her.

In the articles I read about this they all said that "the boat while in a gradual turn suddenly spun around 180* and Kali was hit by the prop".

IF the boat in a turn suddenly spun out no kill switch attachment would have helped! The motor literally wouldn't have had time to stop spinning in that instance! If the article had said that they "hit something and were tossed and the boat then started doing the circle dance and hit them" then THAT I would have believed...

Is what happened tragic? Sure. Has there been a crazy knee jerk overreaction to this and a "law" made that is unnecessary? Yes.

It is not something that we can really know. The primary driver the Kali incident was a sharp turn at speed in a flats type boat that caused it to "swap ends". The operator was not thrown completely out because they had the helm to hold onto. Kali was on the front with little rail or gunnel to help keep her in the boat. The coastguard tested the boat and found that it and other of similar design are prone to this "end swapping" behavior especially with more weight toward the bow and turned aggressively at speeds greater than 25 mph. The independent testers did not think the craft was safe enough to be considered a recreational vessel.

Would a kill switch have helped? Maybe if it was short enough, and the engine had time to stop but it sounds like it happened very quickly. A stabilizing fin on the back of flats boats like the coast guard testers recommended could have also helped. Or operating the boat more carefully at speed. Or having higher gunnels or extended rails. Or keeping weight off the bow. Or.........

Point is, that this unfortunate death was a lot more complex than kill switches. I largely support the law in its final form, you should wear a kill switch at speed because your boat could hurt someone else if you fall out. I disagree with the path this one took to get there and the earlier versions were completely unbalanced in terms of personal freedoms and societal benefits.

No

What's next requiring seat belts in boats for the driver?

I had to put one on my boat when I brought it here from Texas. Tennessee River is under Coast Guard jurisdiction. They frown upon you not having kill switches. $25 and 1 hour of my time.

yes. Clearly states "and equipped by manufacturer..." so you won't be required to have one.

Most kill switches will stretch to about 3'. If the driver had been thrown to the floor, would the switch have pulled? I know on my duck boats, I shorten the kill switch almost to the point that its a PITA to run. For the simple reason that if you fall out, you'll be in the prop before the switch kills the motor.
I kind of agree that more lives would be saved by making wearing a PFD mandatory. I've been on recovery calls before, it sucks, but not ONE time that I know of has the victim been wearing a PFD. I'm sure there are stories out there but I have never heard of one from a single LEO or first responder.

Yes

Why do you say that? Did you read the law?

my boat does not have one either

I want every fisherman that's running his 225/250 horsepower boat at 70+ mph down the boat lanes at Lake Fork
every hour on Fri-Sat-and Sun Tournaments days when there are up to 2000 entries, trying to weigh in a 15 7/8" bass
to be firmly attached to a kill switch.

I see some guys being off the water until the have a kill switch installed or do it themselves.

Why?

My boat doesn't have a kill switch from the manufacturer and I have no plans to install one.