NY State Senate Bill 2023-S9311

Senate Bill S9311

2023-2024 Legislative Session

Requires school districts to provide information regarding water safety and swimming certification to certain parents or students upon enrollment

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 10, 2024	referred to education

2023-S9311 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A10251
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §3205, Ed L
Versions Introduced in 2025-2026 Legislative Session:: S1349

2023-S9311 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires school districts to provide information regarding water safety and swimming certification to certain parents or students upon enrollment; defines "water safety".

2023-S9311 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9311

SPONSOR: CLEARE
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring school
districts to provide information regarding water safety and swimming
certification to certain parents or students upon enrollment

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

The purpose of this bill is to require school districts to provide
parents and guardians with information about water safety education
courses and swimming lessons, promoting water safety awareness and
potentially reducing water-related injuries and fatalities among chil-
dren.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Amends Section 3205 of the education law by adding a new
subdivision that requires school districts, beginning with the 2025-2026
school year, to provide information to parents or guardians about the

importance of water safety courses and swimming lessons.  This informa-
tion must be offered electronically or in hard copy and include local
options for age-appropriate water safety courses and swimming lessons,
highlighting free or reduced-price options.

Section 2. Sets the effective date of the act as July 1, 2024.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Drowning is one of the leading causes of accidental death among young
children. Educating parents and guardians about water safety and the
availability of swimming lessons can play a crucial role in prevention.
By informing parents and guardians about the benefits of and options for
water safety education, this bill aims to increase participation in
these programs.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Minimal.

 
SOCIETAL IMPACT:

Potential reduction of water-related injuries and fatalities.

 
ECONOMIC AND EMPLOYMENT IMPACT:

Stimulation of economic activity in the sector of water safety education
and swimming instruction.

 
ENVIRONMENTAL AND INFRASTRUCTURAL IMPACT:

Minimal.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New Bill.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2024.

2023-S9311 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9311
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 10, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  CLEARE -- 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  requiring  school
   districts  to  provide information regarding water safety and swimming
   certification to certain parents or students upon enrollment

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  Section  3205 of the education law is amended by adding a
 new subdivision 4 to read as follows:
   4. A. BEGINNING WITH THE TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE--TWO THOUSAND  TWEN-
 TY-SIX  SCHOOL  YEAR, EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL PROVIDE, TO A PARENT OR
 GUARDIAN WHO INITIALLY ENROLLS THEIR CHILD IN THE SCHOOL, INFORMATION ON
 THE IMPORTANT ROLE WATER SAFETY EDUCATION COURSES AND  SWIMMING  LESSONS
 PLAY IN SAVING LIVES. THE INFORMATION MUST BE PROVIDED ELECTRONICALLY OR
 IN  HARD  COPY  AND MUST INCLUDE LOCAL OPTIONS FOR AGE-APPROPRIATE WATER
 SAFETY COURSES AND SWIMMING LESSONS THAT RESULT IN A  CERTIFICATE  INDI-
 CATING  SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION, INCLUDING COURSES AND LESSONS OFFERED FOR
 FREE OR AT A REDUCED PRICE. IF THE STUDENT IS EIGHTEEN YEARS OF  AGE  OR
 OLDER,  OR  IS  UNDER  THE  AGE  OF TWENTY-ONE AND IS ENROLLING IN ADULT
 EDUCATION CLASSES, THE INFORMATION MUST BE PROVIDED TO THE STUDENT.
   B. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION, THE TERM "WATER SAFETY" SHALL
 MEAN AGE-APPROPRIATE EDUCATION INTENDED TO PROMOTE SAFETY  IN,  ON,  AND
 AROUND BODIES OF WATER AND REDUCE THE RISK OF INJURY, INCLUDING FATAL OR
 NON-FATAL DROWNING.
   § 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.
 
 
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15545-01-4

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