Tennessee governor proclaims May 16–22 as Safe Boating Week

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee proclaimed May 16-22 as Safe Boating Week in Tennessee in a notice publicized by state agencies on May 12. The designation aligns the state with National Safe Boating Week, which runs on the same dates and serves as the annual start of a broader boating safety campaign, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Safe Boating Campaign. (tn.gov) The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, or TWRA, said the week is intended to remind boaters to refresh safety skills and prepare for the summer boating season. State officials tied the proclamation to routine safety steps, including wearing life jackets while on the water. (tn.gov) May 16 is the opening day of both the Tennessee observance and the national campaign. The timing places the announcement just ahead of a period when state agencies expect more recreational traffic on Tennessee waterways. That expectation was stated by TWRA in its notice accompanying the governor’s proclamation. (tn.gov) ### What exactly did Lee proclaim, and when did the state announce it? May 12 was the date Tennessee agencies published the proclamation announcement saying Lee had designated May 16-22 as Safe Boating Week in Tennessee. The state notice said the move supports both the statewide observance and the annual national campaign. (tn.gov) Bill Lee’s proclamation did not create a new standalone date outside the national calendar. The Tennessee dates match National Safe Boating Week exactly, according to the Safe Boating Campaign’s 2026 materials. ### What are Tennessee officials telling boaters to do? (tn.gov) TWRA said boaters should “refresh their boating safety skills” and prepare for the upcoming summer boating season. The agency framed the week as a public reminder rather than a regulatory change. The Safe Boating Campaign’s 2026 proclamation template urges people who boat to “practice safe boating habits and wear a life jacket at all times while boating.” Tennessee’s announcement echoed that message by linking the state observance to the national effort. (tn.gov) National Safe Boating Week materials also direct participants to boating education and safety resources. (safeboatingcampaign.com) The campaign’s resource pages point users to online training and outreach materials built around life-jacket use and basic navigation safety. ### Is this a Tennessee-only effort or part of something bigger? National Safe Boating Week is a nationwide observance running May 16-22, 2026, according to the Safe Boating Campaign. (tn.gov) The campaign describes the week as the annual kickoff to a year-round awareness effort focused on responsible boating. The Tennessee announcement explicitly says the state is participating in that national observance. (safeboatingcampaign.com) That places TWRA’s messaging inside a broader campaign used by states, boating groups and safety partners around the country. ### What else is happening in Tennessee as the week begins? (safeboatingcampaign.com) Saturday, May 16, is also the date TWRA and Tennessee State Parks said they will offer low-cost beginner “Kayaking 101” classes across the state. The agencies said those classes are being held to launch National Safe Boating Week. (safeboatingcampaign.com) Tennessee State Parks said the classes are being run with paddlesports leaders and are aimed at beginners. The events give the state a scheduled public activity tied directly to the proclamation and the start of the observance week. (tn.gov) ### Where can boaters look for official information next? TWRA’s newsroom and the State of Tennessee newsroom both carried the May 12 announcement about Lee’s proclamation. The agency’s main website also serves as the state’s central hub for boating information, licenses, guides and regulations. May 16 is the next concrete date in the rollout, with National Safe Boating Week beginning that day and Tennessee’s Kayaking 101 events scheduled to coincide with the launch. (tn.gov) TWRA, Tennessee State Parks and the Safe Boating Campaign have each published 2026 materials tied to that start date. (tn.gov 1) (tn.gov 2)