S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  728--A
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                (PREFILED)
 
                              January 6, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. PHEFFER AMATO, CRUZ, BARNWELL, SIMON, MORINELLO,
   NORRIS, EPSTEIN, ANDERSON, GRIFFIN, GONZALEZ-ROJAS,  MAMDANI,  HEVESI,
   COOK, McDONOUGH, SEAWRIGHT -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. SILLITTI,
   ZINERMAN  --  read  once and referred to the Committee on Education --
   recommitted to the Committee on Education in accordance with  Assembly
   Rule  3,  sec.  2  --  committee  discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered
   reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the water
   safety instruction working group; and providing for the repeal of such
   provisions upon the expiration thereof
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 805 to
 read as follows:
   §  805.  WATER  SAFETY  INSTRUCTION WORKING GROUP. 1. THE COMMISSIONER
 SHALL ESTABLISH A WATER SAFETY INSTRUCTION WORKING GROUP TO STUDY APPRO-
 PRIATE STANDARDS FOR CURRICULUM ON WATER SAFETY INSTRUCTION FOR STUDENTS
 IN GRADES KINDERGARTEN THROUGH TWELVE IN THE STATE.
   2. SUCH WORKING GROUP SHALL BE COMPOSED OF NOT MORE THAN FIFTEEN INDI-
 VIDUALS REPRESENTING INTERESTED STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING:
   A. THE COMMISSIONER OR THEIR DESIGNEE;
   B. THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OR THEIR DESIGNEE;
   C. THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DIVISION OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY
 SERVICES OR THEIR DESIGNEE;
   D. INDIVIDUALS WHO REPRESENT  NOT-FOR-PROFIT  WATER  SAFETY  ORGANIZA-
 TIONS;
   E.  EXPERTS  IN  TEACHING  STUDENTS  ON  SWIMMING  AND WATER SAFETY IN
 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND HIGH SCHOOL;
   F. EXPERTS IN TRAINING FIRST AID, CARDIOPULMONARY  RESUSCITATION,  AND
 OTHER WATER EMERGENCY-RELATED RESPONSES;

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD04175-03-2
 A. 728--A                           2
 
   G.  SCHOOL  ADMINISTRATORS  WHO  WORK  AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLE
 SCHOOL, OR HIGH SCHOOL;
   H. INDIVIDUALS WHO REPRESENT CLIMATE-RELATED EMERGENCY PREPARATION AND
 TRAINING, SPECIFICALLY FOR WATER-RELATED DISASTERS; AND
   I.  ANY  OTHER STAKEHOLDER THE COMMISSIONER DEEMS NECESSARY, INCLUDING
 BUT NOT LIMITED TO, COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE UNDERSERVED AND DISPROPOR-
 TIONATELY IMPACTED BY THE CURRENT DISTRIBUTION OF SWIMMING RESOURCES  IN
 PUBLIC  SCHOOLS  AND WHO ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED BY WATER-RELATED
 DISASTERS DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
   3. SUCH WORKING GROUP SHALL MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS  AND  SHALL  STUDY
 THE OPTIONS AND BEST PRACTICES AVAILABLE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR:
   A.  THE NEED AND APPROPRIATENESS OF SWIMMING AND WATER SAFETY INSTRUC-
 TION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WITH PARTICULAR CONSIDERATION  OF  WATER-RELATED
 CLIMATE  CHANGE  DISASTERS  AND PROPER EMERGENCY RESPONSES AND SKILLS OF
 SURVIVAL;
   B. WHICH AGENCIES OR ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD INFORM THE DEPARTMENT ON THE
 BEST STANDARDS FOR CURRICULUM ON WATER SAFETY INSTRUCTION;
   C. THE AVAILABILITY OF SWIMMING POOLS AND OTHER  EQUIPMENT  NEEDED  TO
 PROVIDE WATER SAFETY INSTRUCTION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS; AND
   D.  THE FISCAL IMPLICATIONS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS IF ANY PROPOSED STAND-
 ARDS WERE IMPLEMENTED.
   4. THE WORKING GROUP ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE  OF  THIS
 SECTION  SHALL  REPORT ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GOVERNOR,
 THE TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY NO
 LATER THAN TWELVE MONTHS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.  SUCH
 REPORT SHALL BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
 deemed repealed six months after the submission of  the  report  by  the
 water  safety  instruction working group pursuant to section one of this
 act; provided, however, that the commissioner of education shall  notify
 the  legislative  bill  drafting  commission  upon the occurrence of the
 submission of the report by the water safety instruction  working  group
 pursuant  to  section  one  of this act in order that the commission may
 maintain an accurate and timely effective data base of the official text
 of the laws of the state of New York in furtherance of effectuating  the
 provisions  of section 44 of the legislative law and section 70-b of the
 public officers law.