Bill Text: NY S02545 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Allows schools to provide water safety instruction to students in grades kindergarten through twelve; allows for the commissioner of education to provide technical assistance to develop curricula for water safety instruction.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - REFERRED TO EDUCATION [S02545 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S02545-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          2545

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                    January 23, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen. ADDABBO -- 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 providing water safety
          instruction in schools

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 805 to
     2  read as follows:
     3    §  805.  Instruction  in  water safety. 1. All public school districts
     4  within the state shall have the opportunity to opt-in to  a  program  to
     5  provide  students in grades kindergarten through twelve with instruction
     6  in water safety. Such program shall be defined by  the  commissioner  in
     7  regulations  after  consultation  with  the  department of health and be
     8  designed to educate students about water safety in  grades  kindergarten
     9  through  twelve. Such age appropriate instruction shall include, but not
    10  be limited to, the proper use of flotation devices, awareness  of  water
    11  conditions, how to respond if caught in a rip current, the proper super-
    12  vision of swim areas, safe behaviors in and around the water, the impor-
    13  tance  of  pool  barriers  and  fencing,  the  importance of formal swim
    14  lessons, the importance of avoiding alcohol and substance use with water
    15  recreation, the importance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation for drowning
    16  victims and the importance of  the  order  of  administering  such  aid.
    17  Nothing  in  this section shall prevent the department from making model
    18  curriculum and resource materials available on the department's website.
    19  Each school district shall notify the commissioner prior to  the  begin-
    20  ning  of  each  school  year if they choose to opt-in to such program to
    21  provide instruction in water safety.
    22    2. The commissioner may provide technical assistance to assist in  the
    23  development of curricula for such instruction program which shall be age
    24  appropriate and developed according to the needs and abilities of pupils
    25  at successive grade levels in order to provide awareness, skills, infor-

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD04804-03-3
        S. 2545                             2

     1  mation, self-confidence and support in the understanding of water safety
     2  and the practice of water safety behaviors and skills.
     3    §  2.  This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
     4  the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the
     5  addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule  or  regulation  necessary
     6  for  the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized
     7  to be made and completed on or before such effective date.