Brianna Lieneck Boating Safety Act of 2025

This bill, called the Brianna Lieneck Boating Safety Act of 2025, tells the department that runs the Coast Guard to study how recreational boaters are trained and to send a report to Congress within 180 days after the law takes effect. The study would review Coast Guard Auxiliary and Power Squadron classes, state boating education (including NASBLA programs), and other hands-on training. It would look at course materials, what is taught, how people are taught and tested, and how well the training matches real risks on the water.

The report must explain what has been done to encourage states to require boater training, how states could make their programs more uniform and recognize each other’s certifications, what minimum standards might look like, and how a federal training and testing program could work with state programs. It also must review phase-in timelines and their impact on course availability and cost, consider allowing experienced boaters to test out of classes, and discuss whether any federal program should apply on all waters in a state.

Key points:

• Who is affected: Recreational boaters, state boating agencies, and the Coast Guard.
• What changes: A study and report; it does not set new training rules now but evaluates options like uniform standards, reciprocity, and testing-out for experienced boaters.
• When: Report due within 180 days after enactment.