Bill Text: NJ AJR45 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Designates first week in June as "Rip Current Awareness Week."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee [AJR45 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-AJR45-Introduced.html
No. 45
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
218th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2018 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE
District 37 (Bergen)
SYNOPSIS
Designates first week in June as "Rip Current Awareness Week."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
A Joint Resolution designating the first full week in June of each year as "Rip Current Awareness Week."
Whereas, Rip currents are powerful currents that flow away from shore in a channel like area which can pull swimmers past the surf zone, creating a hazard for swimmers on New Jersey beaches; and
Whereas, Rip currents account for over 80% of rescues performed by lifeguards and over 100 people are killed by rip currents every year on our nation's beaches; and
Whereas, Rip currents can be extremely dangerous, killing more people every year than do shark attacks, tornadoes, lightning or hurricanes; and
Whereas, Rip currents are most dangerous when they pull swimmers away from the beach and the swimmer, instead of swimming out of the current, attempts to fight against the current, causing exhaustion; and
Whereas, Rip currents are very difficult to predict because they are caused by complex interactions between waves, currents, water levels, and the shape of the ocean bottom near the shore, and can occur on any beach with breaking waves; and
Whereas, Coordinated efforts at local, state, regional, and national levels have combined to improve public education of the dangers associated with potentially deadly rip currents, but more education and awareness is necessary; and
Whereas, Agencies such as the National Weather Service and the United States Lifesaving Association, as well as local lifeguards, emergency response personnel, and coastal communities, have coordinated their efforts to increase awareness of the dangers associated with rip currents; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The first full week in June of each year is designated "Rip Current Awareness Week" to recognize the importance of raising public awareness of the dangers of rip currents.
2. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This joint resolution designates the first full week in June as "Rip Current Awareness Week." Rip currents pose a serious threat to New Jersey beachgoers and kill many people around the country each year. Coordinated efforts at local, state, regional, and national levels have combined to improve public education of the dangers associated with potentially deadly rip currents, but more education and awareness is necessary. This joint resolution is intended to raise awareness regarding the dangers of rip currents.
