News, Arts and Culture from WFIU Public Radio and WTIU Public Television
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Indiana House unanimously approves bill aimed at preventing drownings in Lake Michigan

A boat crew from Coast Guard Station Milwaukee rescues three men from Lake Michigan after their boat capsized near South Shore Marina in Milwaukee, 2015.
A boat crew from Coast Guard Station Milwaukee rescues three men from Lake Michigan after their boat capsized near South Shore Marina in Milwaukee, 2015.

The Indiana House unanimously approved a bill on Tuesday that aims to reduce drowning deaths on Lake Michigan.

SB 253, authored by Sen. Rodney Pol (D-Chesterton), would require those who maintain public beaches and piers on the lake to have highly visible, emergency flotation devices available. Local governments would also have to report drownings at public sites at least twice a year.

READ MORE: Bill to require rescue equipment along Lake Michigan aims to prevent drownings

Join the conversation and sign up for the Indiana Two-Way. Text "Indiana" to 765-275-1120. Your comments and questions in response to our weekly text help us find the answers you need on statewide issues, including our project  Civically, Indiana  and our  2024 legislative bill tracker .

Six people drowned last year alone along Lake Michigan beaches and other public sites in Indiana.

The bill now goes back to the Senate for consideration.

Rebecca is our energy and environment reporter. Contact her at  rthiele@iu.edu  or follow her on Twitter at  @beckythiele .

Rebecca Thiele covers statewide environment and energy issues. Before coming to Bloomington, she worked for WMUK Radio in Kalamazoo, Michigan on the arts and environment beats. Thiele was born in St. Louis and is a proud graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism.