“Andy’s Law” Passes Committee; Would Require Boat Carbon Monoxide Warning Stickers
Ponca City Now - February 16, 2023 6:57 am
Dean Davis serves District 98 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. His district includes parts of Tulsa and Wagoner counties.
OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Dean Davis, R-Broken Arrow, unanimously passed a bill in the House Public Safety Committee on Tuesday that would require a carbon monoxide poisoning warning sticker on motorized boats that operate in Oklahoma waters.
House Bill 2010, known as “Andy’s Law,” is named after Andrew Free, the son of Brett and Cassi Free of Broken Arrow. He died in 2020 of open-air carbon monoxide poisoning after a day spent wakeboarding with his family at Lake Eufaula. He was nine years old.
“This bill is very close to my heart,” Davis told committee members. “Andy is the son of a teaching colleague, and his death hit our community particularly hard. By telling Andy’s story and passing this legislation, this will prevent other Oklahoma parents from suffering the same way my friends have.”
Davis said the purpose of the bill is to alert boat passengers to the potential dangers of open-air carbon monoxide poisoning and to be alert to watch for symptoms.
“I have nieces, and we wakeboard and sit on the boat. So many of my friends and family just never had the realization that this was a danger,” he said.
HB2010 would amend state statute to require certain boats and other water vessels to have a carbon monoxide warning sticker affixed in plain view to the interior of the vessel. The sticker and related literature would be developed by the Department of Public Safety and distributed by Service Oklahoma through annual boat registration or when a title is transferred.
The bill is now eligible to be considered by the full House.
