Recently, Texas State Rep. Tan Parker announced that Speaker Joe Straus appointed Highland Village resident Tim Lindt to the newly created Advisory Panel on Recreational Boating Safety.  The panel, which was formed through legislation passed by Representative Parker, will spend the next ten months reviewing Texas' current state of lake recreational safety and make recommendations to the Legislature as to how to make future improvements.  Currently, Texas' number of boating fatalities per registered water vessel is nearly double the national average.

     "I am thankful that Mr. Lindt has agreed to serve on this panel and that Speaker Straus has made his appointment official," Parker stated.  "No one has done more in the last several years to better understand this issue and identify areas where we can make immediate improvements to help save lives.  Tim brings to this 9 member panel an endless wealth of knowledge and a strong passion for improving safety on our public waterways."

     In 2006, Tim Lindt started the Britteny Sage Lindt Fund in honor of his teenage daughter whose life was tragically taken when she was involved in a boating accident with a reckless boater.  Since then the fund has worked to raise awareness for lake safety and responsible boating. In accepting the appointment, Lindt stated, "I am honored to be appointed by the Speaker of the Texas House, Mr. Straus, to this advisory panel to study recreational boating safety. I am excited to engage in revealing the changes needed to improve safety standards on Texas waterways. My personal goal is to objectively exemplify the facts and needed safety improvements, which will ultimately save lives." 

     This marks the second instance where Tim Lindt and Rep. Parker have teamed up to improve lake recreational safety.  In 2007, both were instrumental in passing a bill authored by Senator Chris Harris that aimed to increase law enforcement protection on public lakes. Initially elected on November 7, 2006, Parker represents both rural and urban parts of Denton County which encompass the cities of Flower Mound, Highland Village, Pilot Point, Argyle, Aubrey, Krugerville, Sanger, Cross Roads, Krum, Ponder, Justin, Northlake, Copper Canyon, Double Oak, Bartonville, Trophy Club, Roanoke and portions of Lewisville and Southlake.

    Serving his second term in the Texas Legislature, Parker is focusing his efforts on economic development, job creation, further property tax relief, appraisal reform, strengthening border security and immigration policy, promoting fiscally responsible government spending and protecting family values. The Flower Mound resident is the current Vice Chairman of the Technology, Economic Development and Workforce Committee.  He also serves on the Pensions, Investments and Financial Services Committee, the Select Committee on Oversight of Health and Human Services Eligibility Systems and the Select Committee on Fiscal Stability.

- Special to The News Connection