ASSEMBLY, No. 4763
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
INTRODUCED SEPTEMBER 19, 2024
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)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Donlon, Assemblyman Inganamort, Assemblywomen Fantasia, McCoy, Park, Assemblyman Atkins, Assemblywoman Speight, Assemblyman Bailey and Assemblywoman Peterpaul
SYNOPSIS
Requires development of educational fact sheet on water safety for public and nonpublic schools; requires DOE to maintain list of locations providing swim lessons.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Assembly Education Committee on May 8, 2025, with amendments.
An Act concerning water safety information for parents and guardians and supplementing chapter 40 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Education shall develop an educational fact sheet on water safety. The fact sheet shall include information on:
(1) how parents and guardians can reduce their child’s risk of injury or drowning while in, on, and around bodies of water;
(2) the role of water safety education courses and swimming lessons play in preventing incidents of injury or drowning;
(3) the proper use of flotation devices; and
(4) the importance of monitoring water conditions and swimming in areas monitored by a lifeguard.
b. In developing the fact sheet, the commissioner shall consult with, and utilize resources produced by, water safety organizations including, but not limited to, the American Red Cross and the New Jersey Swim Safety Alliance.
c. The commissioner shall make the educational fact sheet available to all school districts and nonpublic schools.
d. A school district shall annually distribute the fact sheet to parents and guardians in a manner prescribed by the commissioner. A nonpublic school is encouraged, but not required, to distribute the fact sheet to parents and guardians in a manner determined by the nonpublic school.
e. As used in this section, “water safety” means safety in, on, and around bodies of water to reduce the risk of injury or drowning.
2. 1[A school district] The Department of Education1 shall develop 1and make available on its Internet website1 a list of 1[local]1 locations 1, organized by county,1 where swimming lessons and age-appropriate water safety courses providing instruction to promote safety in, on, and around bodies of water to reduce the risk of injury and drowning are offered, including lessons and courses that are offered for free or reduced prices. The list shall be made available 1[on the Internet website of the district] to school districts1 and shall be updated annually. 1Each school district shall provide access to the list on its Internet website.1
3. This act shall take effect on the 180th day next following the date of enactment.