Bill Text: NY A07734 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Creates the temporary "commission to prevent childhood drowning" to evaluate and develop programs to properly educate and instruct children how to swim and water safety.
Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 15-1)
Status: (Passed) 2021-12-22 - signed chap.756 [A07734 Detail]
Download: New_York-2021-A07734-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7734 2021-2022 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY May 20, 2021 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. PHEFFER AMATO, HYNDMAN, CARROLL, JONES, NORRIS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations AN ACT to create a temporary "commission to prevent childhood drowning" to improve water safety in New York state; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. A temporary commission to be known as the "commission to 2 prevent childhood drowning", hereafter referred to as the "commission", 3 is hereby created to evaluate and develop programs to properly educate 4 and instruct children on water safety and how to swim. 5 § 2. (a) The commission shall consist of nine members to be appointed 6 as follows: three members appointed by the governor; two members 7 appointed by the temporary president of the senate; two members 8 appointed by the speaker of the assembly; one member appointed by the 9 minority leader of the senate, and one member appointed by the minority 10 leader of the assembly. Vacancies in the membership of the commission 11 shall be filled in the same manner provided for original appointments 12 and designations. 13 (b) The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for 14 their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses 15 incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to this act. 16 (c) The commission may hold public hearings and is hereby authorized 17 and empowered to undertake any studies, inquiries, surveys or analyses 18 it may deem relevant. 19 (d) The commission shall be entitled to request and be provided with 20 such resources and data of any relevant department, division, board, 21 bureau, commission or agency of the state to carry out properly its 22 powers and duties pursuant to this act. 23 (e) The members of the commission may participate in a meeting of such 24 commission or committee by means of a telephone conference, provided EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD11563-01-1A. 7734 2 1 that all meetings shall operate in accordance with article seven of the 2 public officers law. 3 § 3. The commission shall: 4 (a) Determine an appropriate age and/or stage of childhood development 5 when children can properly begin water safety and swimming instructions 6 and develop statewide standards for such instruction; 7 (b) Investigate and evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of 8 programs which incentivize parents and guardians to enroll children in 9 water safety and swimming instruction; 10 (c) Develop a comprehensive plan for public-private partnerships 11 between the state and community centers, nonprofit organizations, recre- 12 ational facilities, swimming instructors, and other relevant stakehold- 13 ers and expanding existing state resources such as parks and pools to 14 provide access to free swimming instruction, and determine the feasibil- 15 ity of such programs; 16 (d) Develop an implementation plan to ensure its swimming safety 17 programs are available in underserved communities; and 18 (e) Develop a comprehensive plan for a public awareness campaign to 19 ensure parents and guardians receive information on the importance of 20 children receiving basic water safety and swimming instruction. 21 § 4. The commission shall issue a report of its findings no later than 22 one year after the effective date of this act. The commission shall 23 submit such report, including any recommendations for legislative action 24 as it may deem necessary and appropriate, to the governor, the temporary 25 president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, and shall publish 26 such report on the website of the office of parks, recreation and 27 historic preservation. 28 § 5. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after 29 it shall have become a law, and shall expire and be deemed repealed 30 eighteen months after it shall have become a law.