County officials back boating safety bill
Father of missing teen says his loss ‘isn’t getting easier.’
WEST PALM BEACH — A vote to voice support for a proposed state law on boater safety got very emotional, and very personal, at Tuesday’s Palm Beach County Commission meeting.
The bills (SB 746, HB 427), sponsored by Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stu- art, and Rep. MaryLynn Magar, R-Tequesta, in their respective chambers, would provide registration discounts of about 25 percent to boaters who have purchased and registered emergency locator devices.
Such devices might have helped searchers find Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen, who vanished soon after leaving the Jupiter Inlet in a small boat on July 24. They have not been found.
“It’s been tough, and it isn’t getting easier,” Aus- Full coverage of the missing Florida teens: tin’s dad, Blu Stephanos, his voice cracking, told commissioners, who went on to vote unanimously to let the Florida Legislature know they endorse the proposal.
“We’re talking about locating,” Stephanos said. “We’re not talking about spending seven, eight days in a helicopter, searching for my son.”
Magar stood with Stephanos.
“What we’re trying to do here is get people to prepare when they go out boating,” she said.
County Commissioner Melissa McKinlay apologized for tearing up as she explained that her daughter is the same age as the lost boys.
And Mayor Mary Lou Berger said, “Mr. Stephanos, you have our prayers and our love.”