Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO
District 20 (Union)
SYNOPSIS
Requires provision of water safety instruction as part of New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the provision of water safety instruction in public school curriculum and supplementing chapter 35 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. Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, each school district shall incorporate instruction on water safety into the health education curriculum for students in grades K through 12 as part of the district’s implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education.
b. The instruction shall provide students with information on:
(1) the nature and danger of rip tides;
(2) the importance of learning about water conditions and beach safety practices, particularly for student populations that do not reside near beach communities;
(3) hand signs that may be used to indicate swimmer distress; and
(4) the sightline limitations of lifeguards and others monitoring swimmers from the beach.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires each school district to incorporate instruction on water safety into the health education curriculum for students in grades K through 12 as part of the district’s implementation of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education, beginning with the 2018-2019 school year. The instruction must provide information on: the nature and danger of rip tides; the importance of learning about water conditions and beach safety practices, particularly for student populations that do not reside near beach communities; hand signs that may be used to indicate swimmer distress; and the sightline limitations of lifeguards and others monitoring swimmers from the beach.