JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A bill making its way through the Missouri Senate is an attempt to prevent the electric shock drownings that—while rare—have made big waves at Lake of the Ozarks. But it would do so by banning swimming near docks.

The bill, SB 297, filed by St. Louis-area Senator Jacob Hummel (D) makes three specific proposals:

1) All water patrol boats would have an external defibrillator on board, and every boat would have to be staffed by someone trained to use it.

2) Any individual or entity that owns a body of water would have to ramp-up electrical code compliance for all docks/marinas on that body of water and submit an annual statement that the docks/marinas were compliant

3) Any individual or entity that owns a body of water would have to prohibit swimming in or around any boat docks or marinas, and would have to post signs stating the no-swimming policy.

The Missouri Department of Public Safety would be entrusted with enforcement of the law. What is unclear is how the Missouri State Highway Patrol would enforce such a policy, with such wide-reaching implications.

The Patrol declined to comment on the swimming ban. However, MSHP Captain John Hotz did point out all of the primary lake patrol boats already have AED devices. He noted some patrol boats on rivers, or some of the dragging boats (for use in recovering a drowning victim) are not equipped.

Such a “no-swimming” policy would by any estimate be devastating for a recreational body of water like Lake of the Ozarks, which boasts more than 20,000 docks and whose population swells to more than 100,000 during the busy summer season. 

Mike Kenagy, Executive Director of the Lake of the Ozarks Marine Dealers Association, said personal responsibility is the most important element of dock electric safety. “Everybody should get their dock checked on a regular basis,” Kenagy said. Dock owners should not think inspections are a “one and done” situation: the stress on docks caused by a busy summer season and water level fluctuations in the winter can create problems where none previously existed. Kenagy noted some electric companies at Lake of the Ozarks offer free dock inspections.

Ameren UE, which owns Lake of the Ozarks, would be dramatically affected by the current language of the bill, since it would require the owner of the body of water to be responsible for posting signage near all docks and marinas declaring the No Swimming policy. But the company declined to comment, with a spokesperson saying the bill’s language was still fluid and subject to change. Ameren did confirm it was working with Senator Hummel on the bill language.

Multiple sources suggested the bill would undergo substantial changes before ever making it to the Senate floor.

The last action for the bill was a hearing in the Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee, on March 30. One person from Lake of the Ozarks testified in favor of the bill, and there was no opposition.

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