S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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9311
I N S E N A T E
May 10, 2024
___________
Introduced by Sen. CLEARE -- 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 school
districts to provide information regarding water safety and swimming
certification to certain parents or students upon enrollment
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 3205 of the education law is amended by adding a
new subdivision 4 to read as follows:
4. A. BEGINNING WITH THE TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE--TWO THOUSAND TWEN-
TY-SIX SCHOOL YEAR, EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL PROVIDE, TO A PARENT OR
GUARDIAN WHO INITIALLY ENROLLS THEIR CHILD IN THE SCHOOL, INFORMATION ON
THE IMPORTANT ROLE WATER SAFETY EDUCATION COURSES AND SWIMMING LESSONS
PLAY IN SAVING LIVES. THE INFORMATION MUST BE PROVIDED ELECTRONICALLY OR
IN HARD COPY AND MUST INCLUDE LOCAL OPTIONS FOR AGE-APPROPRIATE WATER
SAFETY COURSES AND SWIMMING LESSONS THAT RESULT IN A CERTIFICATE INDI-
CATING SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION, INCLUDING COURSES AND LESSONS OFFERED FOR
FREE OR AT A REDUCED PRICE. IF THE STUDENT IS EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE OR
OLDER, OR IS UNDER THE AGE OF TWENTY-ONE AND IS ENROLLING IN ADULT
EDUCATION CLASSES, THE INFORMATION MUST BE PROVIDED TO THE STUDENT.
B. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE TERM "WATER SAFETY" SHALL
MEAN AGE-APPROPRIATE EDUCATION INTENDED TO PROMOTE SAFETY IN, ON, AND
AROUND BODIES OF WATER AND REDUCE THE RISK OF INJURY, INCLUDING FATAL OR
NON-FATAL DROWNING.
§ 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15545-01-4