Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ALIXON COLLAZOS-GILL
District 27 (Essex and Passaic)
Assemblyman SEAN T. KEAN
District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
Designates May of each year as Water Safety Month in NJ; encourages DOE to provide resources on water safety.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning water safety and supplementing Title 36 of the Revised Statutes and chapter 36 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. Water safety involves proactive measures, including age-appropriate education, to promote safety in, on, and around bodies of water to reduce the risk of accidents, injuries, and drowning.
b. Safe water activity requires supervision, access to safety equipment, and awareness of lifesaving techniques.
c. When practiced safely, water activities may encourage healthy development, improved confidence, and collective well-being.
d. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages one to four, and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for ages five to 14.
e. It is reasonable, necessary, and in the public interest for New Jersey to designate the month of May as Water Safety Month to raise public awareness of safe water practices.
2. May of each year is designated as Water Safety Month to raise awareness for safe water practices and accident and drowning prevention.
3. The Department of Education is encouraged to, in consultation with the Department of Health, provide resources to school districts to hold presentations and educational activities during Water Safety Month for students in grades kindergarten through five to provide water safety education. The presentations and educational activities may be held in partnership with nonprofit organizations. The Department of Education is encouraged to, in consultation with the Department of Health, provide resources to public schools to educate students on water safety.
4. This act shall take effect on the 180th day next following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill designates May of each year as Water Safety Month to raise awareness for safe water practices and accident and drowning prevention.
The bill encourages the Department of Education (DOE), in consultation with the Department of Health (DOH), to provide resources to school districts to hold presentations and educational activities during Water Safety Month for students in grades kindergarten through five to provide water safety education. The bill stipulates that the presentations and educational activities may be held in partnership with nonprofit organizations. The bill also encourages the DOE, in consultation with the DOH, to provide resources to public schools to educate students on water safety.