Establishes a water safety swim instructor certification exam and water safety swim instruction and free swim lessons in schools in a city with a population of one million or more.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9826
IN SENATE
April 7, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. CLEARE -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on New York City Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing water
safety swim instruction and free swim lessons in schools in a city
with a population of one million or more
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 927 to
2 read as follows:
3 § 927. Water safety swim instructor certification exam. The department
4 shall establish and administer a free water safety swim instructor
5 certification exam. Such examination shall cover topics recognizing and
6 assessing water hazards, drowning prevention, stroke mechanics, and
7 swimming techniques. The certification exam shall be administered annu-
8 ally to all teachers that apply to become certified in water safety swim
9 instruction. The department may establish a water safety swimming prepa-
10 ration course to prepare teachers for the certification exam. Any teach-
11 er that is certified by the department pursuant to this section may
12 teach water safety in all schools within the same district of employ-
13 ment.
14 § 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 928 to read
15 as follows:
16 § 928. Water safety swim instructor; certain school districts. Each
17 school district within a city with a population of one million or more
18 shall establish a free water safety swim course to be provided annually,
19 and to the extent practicable, operating year-round, under the direction
20 and advisement from the department. Such water safety swim course shall
21 be taught by a water safety swim instructor certified pursuant to
22 section nine hundred twenty-seven of this article and shall include
23 instruction on water safety principles identifying potential water
24 hazards, preventing drowning incidents, stroke mechanics and swimming
25 techniques.
26 § 3. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding
27 the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15497-01-6
