Hawley on new duck boat regulations

New federal regulations are in place for duck boats. 

They were included in the national defense authorization bill that President Biden signed into law last month. 

They include removing canopies above the boats and side framings to ensure passengers can escape if necessary, mandated life jackets for everyone on board, and increased standards to make sure the boats stay afloat. 

It was sponsored by Missouri U-S Senator Josh Hawley:

“This was my very first bill that I introduced in the United States Senate…and I got it through the Senate one time already two years ago, got it through unanimously, and then the house killed — it wouldn’t take it up. So we went back to the drawing board and did it all over again, and by golly we finally got it.”

The bill followed the sinking of a duck boat on Table Rock Lake near Branson in July 2018 during a severe thunderstorm. 

17 people were killed, including 9 who were members of the same family.