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.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A7734
SPONSOR: Pheffer Amato TITLE OF BILL:
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
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to establish a temporary commission to
prevent childhood drowning and improve water safety in New York State.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one of the bill establishes a temporary commission to prevent
childhood drowning.
Section two of the bill outlines the membership of the commission, and
the functions of the commission.
Section three details the specific issues that the commission will
investigate and develop a plan to address.
Section four specifies that the commission will issue a report with
findings and recommendations no later than one year after the effective
date of the bill.
Section five of the bill is the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
According to the United States Center of Disease Control From 2005-2014,
there were an average of 3,536 fatal unintentional drownings (non-boat-
ing related) annually in the United States - about ten deaths per day.
An additional 332 people died each year from drowning in boating-related
incidents.
About one in five people who die from drowning are children 14 and youn-
ger. For every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emer-
gency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries. More than 50%
of drowning victims treated in emergency departments (EDs) require
hospitalization or transfer for further care (compared with a hospitali-
zation rate of about 6% for all unintentional injuries). These nonfatal
drowning injuries can cause severe brain damage that may result in long-
term disabilities such as memory problems, learning disabilities, and
permanent loss of basic functioning (e.g., permanent vegetative state).
Research has also found that early swimming skills help. Taking part in
formal swimming lessons reduces the risk of drowning among children,
however, many people don't have basic swimming skills.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends swim lessons for many
children starting at age 1. The decision to start water-survival skills
training or swim lessons at an early age must be individualized on the
basis of the child's frequency of exposure to water, emotional maturity,
physical and cognitive limitations and health concerns related to swim-
ming pools.
A study in the journal JAMA Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found
formal swimming lessons reduced the likelihood of childhood drowning by
88%.
This legislation would increase access to swim training programs and
hopefully prevent countless unnecessary tragedy.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eight-
ieth day after it shall become law, and shall expire and be deemed
repealed eighteen months after it shall become a law.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect on the one hundred eight-
ieth day after it shall become law, and shall expire and be deemed
repealed eighteen months after it shall become a law.
