Bill Text: NY A06141 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Creates the temporary "commission to prevent childhood drowning" to evaluate and develop programs to properly educate and instruct children how to swim and water safety.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-04-26 - held for consideration in governmental operations [A06141 Detail]
Download: New_York-2021-A06141-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 6141 2021-2022 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY March 10, 2021 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. NORRIS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations AN ACT to create a temporary "commission to prevent childhood drowning" to improve water safety in New York state; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. A temporary commission to be known as the "commission to 2 prevent childhood drowning", hereafter referred to as the "commission", 3 is hereby created to evaluate and develop programs to properly educate 4 and instruct children on water safety and how to swim. 5 § 2. (a) The commission shall consist of eleven members to be 6 appointed as follows: three members appointed by the governor; two 7 members appointed by the temporary president of the senate; two members 8 appointed by the speaker of the assembly; one member appointed by the 9 minority leader of the senate, one member appointed by the minority 10 leader of the assembly; the chancellor of the board of regents of the 11 University of the State of New York or his or her designee; and the 12 commissioner of the department of parks, recreation and historic preser- 13 vation or his or her designee; and five ad hoc members, with one member 14 each of the statewide chapter of the following organizations: the Ameri- 15 can Red Cross, the YMCA, the YWCA, the Boys and Girls Club, the Jewish 16 Community Center and the New York State Swim Commission. Vacancies in 17 the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner 18 provided for original appointments and designations. 19 (b) The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for 20 their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses 21 incurred in the performance of their duties pursuant to this act. The 22 commission may employ and at pleasure remove such personnel as it deems 23 necessary for the performance of its functions and fix their compen- 24 sation within the amounts made available by appropriation therefor. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD07661-01-1A. 6141 2 1 (c) The commission may hold public hearings and shall have all the 2 powers of a legislative committee pursuant to the legislative law and is 3 hereby authorized and empowered to undertake any studies, inquiries, 4 surveys or analyses it may deem relevant through its own personnel or in 5 cooperation with or by agreement with any other public or private agen- 6 cy. 7 (d) To the maximum extent feasible, the commission shall be entitled 8 to request and be provided with such resources and data of any depart- 9 ment, division, board, bureau, commission or agency of the state or any 10 political subdivision thereof as it may reasonably request to carry out 11 properly its powers and duties pursuant to this act. 12 (e) The members of the commission or any committee thereof may partic- 13 ipate in a meeting of such commission or committee by means of a tele- 14 phone conference or any similar communications equipment allowing all 15 persons participating to hear each other at the same time; participation 16 by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting. 17 § 3. The commission shall: 18 (a) Determine an appropriate age and/or stage of childhood development 19 when children can properly begin water safety and swimming instructions 20 and develop statewide standards for such instruction; 21 (b) Investigate and evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of 22 programs which incentivize parents and guardians to enroll children in 23 water safety and swimming instruction; 24 (c) Develop a comprehensive plan and provide the estimated state cost 25 for public-private partnerships between the state and community centers, 26 nonprofit organizations, recreational facilities, swimming instructors, 27 and other relevant stakeholders and expanding existing state resources 28 such as parks and pools to provide access to free swimming instruction, 29 and determine the feasibility of such programs; 30 (d) Develop an implementation plan to ensure its swimming safety 31 programs are available in underserved communities; and 32 (e) Develop a comprehensive plan and provide the annual estimated 33 state cost for a public awareness campaign to ensure parents and guardi- 34 ans receive information on the importance of children receiving basic 35 water safety and swimming instruction. 36 § 4. The commission shall make recommendations and a report of its 37 findings no later than one year after the effective date of this act. 38 The commission shall submit such recommendations and report, including 39 any recommendations for legislative action as it may deem necessary and 40 appropriate, to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the 41 speaker of the assembly, and shall publish its report online. 42 § 5. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be 43 deemed repealed eighteen months after it shall have become a law.
