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:
C.18A:40-12.40 Water safety educational fact sheet.
1. a. The Department of Children and Families shall develop an educational fact sheet on water safety. The fact sheet shall include, at a minimum, 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 value of water safety education courses and the role swimming lessons play in preventing incidents of injury or drowning;
(3) the recommended 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 Department of Children and Families shall consult with, or 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 Department of Education 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 Department of Education. 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.
C.18A:40-12.41 School district to publish list of locations offering swimming lessons, age-appropriate water safety courses.
2. A school district shall publish on its Internet website a list of locations 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 comprised of locations that have voluntarily requested to be included in the list. The list shall be made available to school districts and shall be updated annually. Each school district shall provide access to the list on its Internet website.
3. This act shall take effect on the 180th day next following the date of enactment.
Approved January 12, 2026.