A 3515: Requires school districts to provide information regarding water safety to parents or students upon enrollment - New York

A3515B → A3515C · 9 edits

MAJOR

This bill was amended to simplify the title and streamline the requirements for water safety information provided to parents and students. The changes remove references to swimming certification and focus instead on general drowning prevention and water safety education. The bill now requires information to be provided to all students upon enrollment, with specific provisions for providing information directly to students aged 18 or older.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed by removing the requirement for swimming certification information and broadening the requirement to include all students upon enrollment rather than only initial enrollment.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the title from 'Water safety and swimming certification' to 'Water safety information' to reflect the removal of swimming certification requirements.

Added a provision requiring that information be provided directly to students who are eighteen years of age or older.

Added a requirement for the commissioner of health to produce and update water safety information in consultation with the commissioner.

Added a requirement for school districts to publish water safety information on their websites in a clearly visible and accessible location.

Added a provision requiring translation of information into the twelve most common non-English languages spoken by limited-English proficient individuals in the state, available upon request.

Removed the requirement for school districts to provide information about swimming certification and the specific details about water safety courses and swimming lessons that result in certificates.

Removed the Public Health Law amendment that required an online database searchable by zip code of options for age-appropriate water safety courses and swimming lessons.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified the requirement to provide information to parents or guardians of all students enrolled in the school district, rather than only those initially enrolling.

DEFINITION

Removed the definition of 'water safety' that included education intended to promote safety in, on, and around bodies of water and reduce the risk of injury.

A3515A → A3515B · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill version adds a new requirement for the Department of Health to maintain an online database of water safety courses and swimming lessons that school districts can reference when informing parents about drowning prevention. It also expands the public health law to specifically promote awareness of drowning risks across different age groups and communities, including those with disabilities.

Scope change

The bill now requires the Department of Health to create and maintain an online database of water safety courses searchable by zip code, which school districts can use to fulfill their information requirements.

REQUIREMENT

School districts must now provide parents with information about an online database of water safety courses and swimming lessons maintained by the Department of Health, accessible via the public health website.

School districts have two options for providing water safety information: they can either provide a list of geographically appropriate options or direct parents to the Department of Health's searchable online database.

The Department of Health must include access to an online database of water safety courses in its public awareness materials about drowning prevention.

SCOPE

The public health law is amended to specifically include awareness of drowning risks for infants, children, teens, and adults, with special attention to disadvantaged communities and individuals with disabilities.

TIMELINE

The effective date remains July 1, 2026, but amendments to the public health law will take effect on the same date as the previous chapter 294 of the 2024 laws.

A3515 → A3515A · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to add two new sponsors (Reyes and Pheffer Amato) and updated the effective date from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2026. The core policy requirements regarding water safety information remain unchanged.

Scope change

None - the substantive requirements and applicability of the bill remain the same

TECHNICAL

Added two new sponsors (Reyes and Pheffer Amato) to the bill introduction

Added bill status notation indicating committee discharge and amendment process

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2026, delaying implementation by one year

Requires school districts to provide information regarding water safety to parents or students upon enrollment

What changed between versions

How they voted

Actions timeline

Sponsors