Massachusetts Passes Hanson-Milone Safe Boating Act

It has been more than one dozen years in the works, but Massachusetts boaters must now abide by the Hanson-Milone Safe Boating Act. The new law, which went into effect on April 1, requires any motorized boat operator born on or after January 1, 1989, to obtain a boater safety certificate. The education and certification can be taken in person or online and takes up to 10 hours to complete. Boaters born prior to January 1, 1989, have an additional two years—or until April 1, 2028—to obtain their certification.

The law has a built-in grace period until September 1, 2026, after which fines will be administered should a recreational boater fail to obtain the required certification.

Promoting Boater Safety
The statute was named after two noteworthy boaters. The first was 20-year-old David Hanson, who died in a boating accident in 2010. His death prompted the inception of the legislative process. The second is Paul Milone, a Weymouth-based harbormaster and boating safety advocate who passed away in 2020.

“The Hanson-Milone Safe Boating Act was signed into law in January 2025, and we were fortunate to have it take place during the New England Boat Show,” said Randall Lyons, the executive director of the Massachusetts Marine Trade Association, which represents the recreational boating industry in Massachusetts. Representatives from both the Hanson and Milone families were in attendance when Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey signed the bill.

While there was a significant amount of back and forth for more than a decade, the advocates behind the bill engaged in a substantial push in the past year. Though Lyons had been a tireless advocate for more than a decade, he also credited attorney Jamy Majeda of Buchanan & Associates. “The MMTA is a client of Buchanan & Associates, and Jamy was instrumental in drafting, revising and refining the bill’s language over the 12-year period,” he said.

Besides adding Milone’s name to the bill, as it was originally the Hanson Act, Lyons said that the other element of the bill that he believed moved it forward was allowing people to take the required courses online; the ability to remotely access the course is written into the bill.

“With some of the tweaks in the language and having online access, it’s a huge benefit for the industry not only for safety and lives saved on the waterway, but it is important to make people more comfortable on the water. Ideally, the more comfortable on the water they are, the more likely they are to stay boating,” Lyons said. The hope is that those taking the test will continue with on-the-water training.

The boater safety certificate can be obtained in-person through organizations such as the Massachusetts Environmental Police, local harbormasters, USCG Auxiliary, Boatwise and more. The only current online provider of the course is Boat Ed, Boat Ed® | Official Boating License and Boater Safety Courses, but Lyons is hopeful that more providers will soon be able to offer the course remotely, once the regulations are approved. National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) approval is required, and the state must also approve the course provider’s curriculum.

Lyons said some of the key topics that will be covered in the certification process include navigational aids, what type of safety-related, Coast Guard-approved items should be on the vessel and regulations regarding drinking and boating. Once the class is taken and certification is received, it is valid for the life of the boater.

“At the end of the day, the focus is on making sure newer and younger boaters get their certificate first,” Lyons said. He acknowledges that some more experienced boaters may resist, but he said that the new law makes it straightforward and convenient to take and pass the required class. Now that everyone in the state, regardless of age, will be covered, Lyons thinks that will lead to lives saved. “You can’t put a price tag on that,” he said.

Saving Lives is Top Priority
Even with 78 coastal communities in the commonwealth and 130,000 registered boats, Massachusetts was one of the last states to pass a boating safety law. While by no means the lowest ranked of all the states, the most recent U.S. Coast Guard statistics revealed that Massachusetts sustained 31 fatal accidents between 2019 to 2023, resulting in 33 deaths. “The percentage of fatalities that were directly tied to those who didn’t have training—75%—is a pretty compelling statistic,” Lyons said.

Lyons and his organization are working hard to get the word out about the new requirements to members, from social media to commercials. “I hope there is a direct connection between this and the lives saved on Massachusetts waterways,” Lyons said. He also hopes that the Hanson-Milone Safe Boating Act will encourage more people to try boating and turn it into a regular pastime.

“One of the number one reasons for people leaving the industry is because of a bad experience on the boat, and that can certainly be related to knowledge,” he said. “I’m hoping that because of this new bill, knowledge leads to safer boating operations and a safer experience for boaters.”