The New York State Senate

 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2842
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 27, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of A. PHEFFER AMATO, COOK, SEAWRIGHT, SIMON, HEVESI,
   GONZALEZ-ROJAS, EPSTEIN, CRUZ, NORRIS, MORINELLO, McDONOUGH,  MAMDANI,
   ANDERSON  -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. SILLITTI, ZINERMAN -- read
   once and referred to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the water
   safety instruction working group; and providing for the repeal of such
   provisions upon the expiration thereof
 
   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.  WATER  SAFETY  INSTRUCTION WORKING GROUP. 1. THE COMMISSIONER
 SHALL ESTABLISH A WATER SAFETY INSTRUCTION WORKING GROUP TO STUDY APPRO-
 PRIATE STANDARDS FOR CURRICULUM ON WATER SAFETY INSTRUCTION FOR STUDENTS
 IN GRADES KINDERGARTEN THROUGH TWELVE IN THE STATE.
   2. SUCH WORKING GROUP SHALL BE COMPOSED OF NOT MORE THAN FIFTEEN INDI-
 VIDUALS REPRESENTING INTERESTED STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING:
   A. THE COMMISSIONER OR THEIR DESIGNEE;
   B. THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OR THEIR DESIGNEE;
   C. THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DIVISION OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY
 SERVICES OR THEIR DESIGNEE;
   D. INDIVIDUALS WHO REPRESENT  NOT-FOR-PROFIT  WATER  SAFETY  ORGANIZA-
 TIONS;
   E.  EXPERTS  IN  TEACHING  STUDENTS  ON  SWIMMING  AND WATER SAFETY IN
 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL;
   F. EXPERTS IN TRAINING FIRST AID, CARDIOPULMONARY  RESUSCITATION,  AND
 OTHER WATER EMERGENCY-RELATED RESPONSES;
   G.  SCHOOL  ADMINISTRATORS  WHO  WORK  AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLE
 SCHOOL, OR HIGH SCHOOL;
   H. INDIVIDUALS WHO REPRESENT CLIMATE-RELATED EMERGENCY PREPARATION AND
 TRAINING, SPECIFICALLY FOR WATER-RELATED DISASTERS; AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04804-02-3

 A. 2842                             2
 
   I. ANY OTHER STAKEHOLDER THE COMMISSIONER DEEMS  NECESSARY,  INCLUDING
 BUT NOT LIMITED TO, COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE UNDERSERVED AND DISPROPOR-
 TIONATELY  IMPACTED BY THE CURRENT DISTRIBUTION OF SWIMMING RESOURCES IN
 PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND WHO ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED  BY  WATER-RELATED
 DISASTERS DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
   3.  SUCH  WORKING  GROUP SHALL MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS AND SHALL STUDY
 THE OPTIONS AND BEST PRACTICES AVAILABLE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR:
   A. THE NEED AND APPROPRIATENESS OF SWIMMING AND WATER SAFETY  INSTRUC-
 TION  IN  PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WITH PARTICULAR CONSIDERATION OF WATER-RELATED
 CLIMATE CHANGE DISASTERS AND PROPER EMERGENCY RESPONSES  AND  SKILLS  OF
 SURVIVAL;
   B. WHICH AGENCIES OR ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD INFORM THE DEPARTMENT ON THE
 BEST STANDARDS FOR CURRICULUM ON WATER SAFETY INSTRUCTION;
   C.  THE  AVAILABILITY  OF SWIMMING POOLS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO
 PROVIDE WATER SAFETY INSTRUCTION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS; AND
   D. THE FISCAL IMPLICATIONS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS IF ANY PROPOSED  STAND-
 ARDS WERE IMPLEMENTED.
   4.  THE  WORKING GROUP ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS
 SECTION SHALL REPORT ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO  THE  GOVERNOR,
 THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY NO
 LATER  THAN TWELVE MONTHS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION. SUCH
 REPORT SHALL BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall  expire  and  be
 deemed  repealed  six  months  after the submission of the report by the
 water safety instruction working group pursuant to section one  of  this
 act;  provided, however, that the commissioner of education shall notify
 the legislative bill drafting commission  upon  the  occurrence  of  the
 submission  of  the report by the water safety instruction working group
 pursuant to section one of this act in order  that  the  commission  may
 maintain an accurate and timely effective data base of the official text
 of  the laws of the state of New York in furtherance of effectuating the
 provisions of section 44 of the legislative law and section 70-b of  the
 public officers law.