Requires the department of health to establish criteria for risk factors of drowning by children in various age groups and requires the department to conduct an ongoing public awareness and education program on drowning risks, precautions and life-saving procedures.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9143
IN SENATE
July 30, 2018
___________
Introduced by Sen. SERINO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing a
child drowning prevention public awareness and education program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section
2 2509 to read as follows:
3 § 2509. Child drowning prevention. 1. The department shall establish
4 criteria for risk factors of drowning by children in various age groups.
5 2. The department shall conduct an ongoing public awareness and educa-
6 tion program on drowning risks, precautions and life-saving procedures,
7 including, but not limited to, listing on its internet website informa-
8 tion that assists members of the public in locating infant and child
9 cardiopulmonary resuscitation classes, as well as information related to
10 drowning prevention.
11 3. The department shall produce and distribute educational materials
12 on drowning risks, precautions and life-saving procedures. Such materi-
13 als shall be made available to child care centers, pediatricians, nurs-
14 ery and elementary schools, and all other persons or organizations
15 deemed by the commissioner to have an interest in drowning prevention
16 materials and their distribution. The materials shall also be used for
17 distribution to persons in parental relation to children, and to hospi-
18 tals, birthing centers and other appropriate health care providers for
19 distribution to maternity patients. In addition, such materials shall be
20 provided to health care professionals engaged in the care and treatment
21 of children for distribution to such children and persons in parental
22 relation. The department shall also provide information on drowning
23 risks, precautions and life-saving procedures on the department's inter-
24 net website. No provision of this subdivision shall be deemed to prohib-
25 it the utilization and distribution of educational materials relating
26 thereto produced by any public, private or governmental entity, in lieu
27 of the department's production of such materials.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD16433-01-8
S. 9143 2
1 4. The department shall periodically review available data on drowning
2 incidents in children and update the information on drowning risks,
3 precautionary measures and life-saving procedures provided in its educa-
4 tional materials and on its internet website, as appropriate.
5 5. The department shall report every three years, commencing January
6 first, two thousand twenty, to the governor, the temporary president of
7 the senate and the speaker of the assembly on the implementation of this
8 section and any recommendations for furthering the purpose of this
9 section.
10 6. Implementation of this section shall be contingent upon and shall
11 be conducted within appropriations made therefor.
12 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.