KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Over the Fourth of July weekend, law enforcement agencies and organizations across the U.S. will participate in "Operation Dry Water." The campaign is meant to raise awareness about boating under the influence and increase enforcement to prevent it.
The campaign launched in 2009, and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency said they will again participate in it this year. A new law is also starting this year in Tennessee that implements heftier penalties for people caught boating and drinking.
According to the law, people facing BUI charges face the same punishment as people caught driving under the influence. Anyone operating a boat with a blood alcohol content of .08% or higher will be considered to be breaking the law.
The law officially goes into effect on July 1.
The law would require that boating licenses be suspended for a year if boaters are convicted of a BUI. It would consider BUIs as a Class-A misdemeanor on the first offense, and people who are sentenced for BUIs would face up to a year in prison and a $1,500 fine. If their BAC is higher than .2%, they would need to spend at least a week in prison.
On the second offense, boaters would need to serve at least 45 days in prison and face a fine of up to $3,500. The third time, they would need to spend at least 120 days in prison and face a fine of up to $10,000.
The fourth time, they will be sentenced as a felon and serve at least 150 days in prison. They could also face a fine of up to $15,000. The penalties continue increasing for subsequent offenses.
If a person is also caught boating and drinking with a child on board, they would be required to serve 30 days in prison and an additional fine of $1,000. If the child is hurt, they would face a Class D felony, meaning they would be punished as if they committed vehicular assault and face an additional fine of $1,000.
"Not only is it against the law, and law enforcement will find you and we will prosecute you, but almost more important than that — it costs lives, it costs families, it costs people. And you don't think about it," said Charme Allen, the Knox County District Attorney General.
Operation Dry Water will run from July 1 through July 3.