Lawmaker Wants Cajun Navy to be Regulated by the Government

We recently brought you the story of the Cajun Navy -  hundreds of Louisiana boat owners who voluntarily braved flood waters in Baton Rouge to save the lives of friends, neighbors, and strangers in need. It was a touching story, but it was missing one thing: bureaucracy.

Don't worry, though. One Louisiana lawmaker isn't going to sit back and let the awesome power of neighbors helping neighbors go unchecked.

USA Today reports that Republican State Senator Jonathan Perry is drafting legislation that would require training, certificates, and a permit fee to allow volunteers to enter devastated areas and carry out rescues.

Perry said the following in a recent radio interview:

At the end of the day, there are going to be two things that are going to be the hurdle when you approach it from the state’s standpoint. Liability is going to be number one for them. They don’t want the liability of someone going out to rescue someone and then not being able to find them and, secondly, there’s a cost.

I think a quote from Cajun Navy member Dustin Clouatre from the USA Today article perfectly sums up what most of are thinking: "How can you regulate people helping people? That doesn't make sense to me."

Meanwhile, at Sen. Perry's office...

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