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Starting Tuesday, boat operators can face stricter penalties if they flee accidents, don’t assist other people or provide false information to first responders. Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a measure (HB 289), known as “Lucy’s Law, that includes the changes. The bill was spurred by a 2022 crash in the Florida Keys that resulted in the death of 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez. “We’re confident that this legislation will save lives, preventing other families from experiencing our unimaginable loss,” Melissa and Andy Fernandez, the parents of Lucy Fernandez, said in a statement. The couple made numerous appearances before committees during this spring’s legislative session to push for boating safety changes. Lucy Fernandez was among 13 people on a 29-foot boat that hit a channel marker near Boca Chita Key. The operator of the boat, Doral real-estate broker George Pino, faces a vessel homicide charge. He pleaded not guilty to the charge in November. Under the law, boat operators who leave the scene of an accident where another person was seriously injured will face a second-degree felony. If a death occurs, the charge would be bumped up to a first-degree felony. Boat operators would also face second-degree misdemeanor charges for leaving the scene of a crash that resulted in property damage. Operators also would fade second-degree misdemeanors for knowingly providing false information about crashes they were involved in. The bill also puts minimum boating-under-the-influence penalties in line with penalties for driving a car under the influence.
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