July 1, 2026<\/p>\n
HARRISBURG \u2013 In a letter Rep. Natalie Mihalek (R-Allegheny\/Washington) sent to House Majority Leader Rep. Matt Bradford (D-Montgomery) yesterday regarding improving safety on Pennsylvania waterways, she recommended if the majority leader is committed to making the topic a political one, her bill be reintroduced by a member of his own caucus. \n<\/p>\n
\u201cI get the political aspects of this business, but let\u2019s face it \u2013 this is far from a political issue,\u201d Mihalek said. \u201cNevertheless, if the win-loss column is of greater concern to Leader Bradford than doing the right thing by Pennsylvania\u2019s hundreds of thousands of recreational boaters and swimmers, so be it. Let\u2019s just get it done.\u201d \n<\/p>\n
The 2022 loss of Bethel Park teacher Jon Gentile motivated Mihalek to introduce legislation. Gentile fell victim to a low head dam while kayaking. Low head dams are highly dangerous because of the recirculating current they cause and because they are often invisible to approaching boaters and swimmers. Mihalek found that Pennsylvania leads the nation in deaths related to what have been dubbed \u201cdrowning machines.\u201d \n<\/p>\n