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Senate Bill S7938

2019-2020 Legislative Session

Requires water safety instruction in schools

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Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

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2019-S7938 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:
A10256
Current Committee:
Senate Education
Law Section:
Education Law
Laws Affected:
Add §805, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:
2021-2022: S2207, A728
2023-2024: S2545, A2842

2019-S7938 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires water safety instruction in schools; provides that such age appropriate instruction shall include, but not be limited to, the proper use of flotation devices, awareness of water conditions, how to respond if caught in a rip current, the proper supervision of swim areas, safe behaviors in and around the water, the importance of pool barriers and fencing, the importance of formal swim lessons, the importance of avoiding alcohol and substance use with water recreation, the importance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation for drowning victims and the importance of the order of administering such aid.

2019-S7938 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2019-S7938 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf 

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7938
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 4, 2020
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. ADDABBO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to requiring water safety
   instruction in schools
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 805 to
 read as follows:
   §  805. INSTRUCTION IN WATER SAFETY. 1. ALL STUDENTS IN GRADES KINDER-
 GARTEN THROUGH TWELVE IN ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE STATE  SHALL  RECEIVE
 INSTRUCTION  IN  WATER  SAFETY.  SUCH  PROGRAM  SHALL  BE DEFINED BY THE
 COMMISSIONER IN REGULATIONS AFTER CONSULTATION WITH  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF
 HEALTH  AND BE DESIGNED TO EDUCATE STUDENTS ABOUT WATER SAFETY IN GRADES
 KINDERGARTEN THROUGH TWELVE.  SUCH  AGE  APPROPRIATE  INSTRUCTION  SHALL
 INCLUDE,  BUT  NOT  BE  LIMITED TO, THE PROPER USE OF FLOTATION DEVICES,
 AWARENESS OF WATER CONDITIONS,  HOW  TO  RESPOND  IF  CAUGHT  IN  A  RIP
 CURRENT,  THE  PROPER  SUPERVISION  OF SWIM AREAS, SAFE BEHAVIORS IN AND
 AROUND THE WATER, THE IMPORTANCE  OF  POOL  BARRIERS  AND  FENCING,  THE
 IMPORTANCE  OF  FORMAL  SWIM LESSONS, THE IMPORTANCE OF AVOIDING ALCOHOL
 AND SUBSTANCE USE WITH WATER RECREATION, THE IMPORTANCE OF  CARDIOPULMO-
 NARY  RESUSCITATION FOR DROWNING VICTIMS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ORDER
 OF ADMINISTERING SUCH AID.  NOTHING IN THIS SECTION  SHALL  PREVENT  THE
 DEPARTMENT FROM MAKING MODEL CURRICULUM AND RESOURCE MATERIALS AVAILABLE
 ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE.
   2.  THE COMMISSIONER MAY PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ASSIST IN THE
 DEVELOPMENT OF CURRICULA FOR SUCH INSTRUCTION WHICH SHALL BE AGE  APPRO-
 PRIATE  AND  DEVELOPED ACCORDING TO THE NEEDS AND ABILITIES OF PUPILS AT
 SUCCESSIVE GRADE LEVELS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE AWARENESS, SKILLS,  INFORMA-
 TION,  SELF-CONFIDENCE  AND SUPPORT IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF WATER SAFETY
 AND THE PRACTICE OF WATER SAFETY BEHAVIORS AND SKILLS.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July  next  succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the
 addition,  amendment  and/or  repeal of any rule or regulation necessary
 for the implementation of this act on its effective date are  authorized
 to be made and completed on or before such effective date.

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