Senate Bill S9465

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9465

SPONSOR: CLEARE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to including a component
on water safety in kindergarten through twelfth grade

 
PURPOSE:

To reduce the number of injuries and fatalities among children from
drowning by introducing instruction in water safety for students in
grades kindergarten through twelve in all public schools in New York
State.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends the education law to require the regents to ensure that
the course of instruction in grades kindergarten through twelve includes
a component on water safety.

The framework of instruction is as follows:
              

(a) identifying risks associated with drowning or other injuries in
connection to any body of water,

(b) the behaviors necessary for both children and adults to reduce such
risks, and

(c) how to respond in an emergency if a drowning or other such injuries
occur.

The Regents would be empowered to determine methods and options that
schools may take to incorporate water safety into existing curricula,
and the commissioner would promulgate any regulations needed to carry
out such determination of the regents. The bill includes examples of
formats the regents may consider which include, but are not limited to,
an annual 30-minute interactive assembly, a ò storyboard presentation,
or in-classroom activities.

Section 2 is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

According to the Centers for Disease Control, drownings are the second
leading cause of death for children ages 5 through 14 in the United
States. Drowning death rates are disproportionately higher for minority
communities and children with disabilities or medical conditions. For
every drowning death, even more children's lives are permanently
impacted by nonfatal drownings and other physical or cognitive injuries
incurred from water-based accidents.

The State has recognized the significance of water safety, passing a
number of drowning prevention laws targeted at parents and guardians.
This bill would build on that progress by ensuring New York's students
to learn the basic fundamentals of water safety: identifying water safe-
ty risks, necessary behaviors, and how to respond in an emergency. These
are simple, lifesaving skills.

This bill empowers the Regents to determine various methods school
districts can pursue to satisfy this requirement, including but not
limited to an annual assembly, in-classroom activities, or other age
appropriate activities. Just as Children learn the basics of fire safe-
ty, such as "stop, drop, and roll", they should also be equipped with
foundational water safety knowledge before tragedy strikes.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.