What's happening
This bill requires the New York State Department of Health to create a child drowning prevention public education program and distribute related materials.
Why it matters
Targets specific risks by age. The bill requires the Department of Health to identify and address drowning risk factors for children in different age groups, making prevention efforts more tailored and potentially more effective.
Broadens access to life-saving information. Educational materials must be distributed widely—not just online, but also to child care centers, schools, pediatricians, hospitals, and directly to parents—ensuring that critical information reaches families and caregivers at multiple points.
Emphasizes practical prevention and response. The program must include information on both prevention and emergency response, such as CPR class locations, which could empower more adults to act quickly in emergencies.
Mandates ongoing evaluation and adaptation. The department is tasked with regularly reviewing drowning data and updating educational content, which helps ensure that the program remains current and responsive to emerging trends or needs.
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Who cares
New York State Department of Health
The bill would require the department to establish age-specific drowning risk criteria, run an ongoing education program and periodically review drowning data, subject to appropriations.
Parents and maternity patients
They would be targeted for drowning-prevention materials and could use the department’s website to find infant and child CPR classes.
Pediatricians, hospitals and birthing centers
They would receive educational materials for distribution to children, parents and maternity patients.
Child care centers, nursery schools and elementary schools
They would have access to department-provided materials on drowning risks, precautions and life-saving procedures.
Headline styles
Prevent Child Drowning Deaths
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1346
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 14, 2019
Introduced by Sen. SERINO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
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 Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding a new section 2509 to read as follows:
§ 2509. Child drowning prevention. 1. The department shall establish criteria for risk factors of drowning by children in various age groups.
2. The department shall conduct an ongoing public awareness and education program on drowning risks, precautions and life-saving procedures, including, but not limited to, listing on its internet website information that assists members of the public in locating infant and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation classes, as well as information related to drowning prevention.
3. The department shall produce and distribute educational materials on drowning risks, precautions and life-saving procedures. Such materials shall be made available to child care centers, pediatricians, nursery and elementary schools, and all other persons or organizations deemed by the commissioner to have an interest in drowning prevention materials and their distribution. The materials shall also be used for distribution to persons in parental relation to children, and to hospitals, birthing centers and other appropriate health care providers for distribution to maternity patients. In addition, such materials shall be provided to health care professionals engaged in the care and treatment of children for distribution to such children and persons in parental relation. The department shall also provide information on drowning risks, precautions and life-saving procedures on the department's internet website. No provision of this subdivision shall be deemed to prohibit the utilization and distribution of educational materials relating
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07010-01-9
S. 1346 2
thereto produced by any public, private or governmental entity, in lieu of the department's production of such materials.
4. The department shall periodically review available data on drowning incidents in children and update the information on drowning risks, precautionary measures and life-saving procedures provided in its educational materials and on its internet website, as appropriate.
5. The department shall report every three years, commencing January first, two thousand twenty-one, to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly on the implementation of this section and any recommendations for furthering the purpose of this section.
6. Implementation of this section shall be contingent upon and shall be conducted within appropriations made therefor.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to establishing a child drowning prevention public awareness and education program
Purpose
Requires the department of health to establish criteria for risk factors of drowning by children in various age groups
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Amends the public health law to add a new section 2509 to establish a child drowning prevention program within the Department of Health. Requires the Department to conduct an ongoing public awareness and education program on drowning risks precautions, and life-saving procedures to be made available on their public website as well as information on where to locate infant and child CPR classes and drowning prevention materials. Directs the Department to make drowning prevention and informational materials available to specified practitioners, parents, and child care centers. Establishes periodic review of informa- tional materials. Sets forth reporting requirements for the Department of Health on the child drowning prevention program.
Section 2: Sets forth the effective date.
Justification
Recent news events have highlighted the tragic - yet too often prevalent consequences of young child and infant drowning cases. In fact, drowning is the leading cause of death in children ages 1-4 and the second lead- ing cause of death in children ages 1-14. While many people assume that vigilance is only required around pools or when the child is bathing, 6996 of children who drown were not expected to be swimming or near water. These staggering statistics are only compounded when parents learn that a child can drown in less than one minute.
Drowning is a serious public health issue for young children and infants but is preventable. As such, it should our priority that new parents, as well as practitioners, child care workers, and our communities in gener- al have the resources and education necessary to identify risky situ- ations, provide life-saving assistance, and help prevent these tragic cases. This legislation will require the Department of Health to create a comprehensive public awareness and education campaign to educate the public and specified individuals on the dangers of child drowning and its prevention.
Legislative history
2018: S.9143 Referred to Rules
Fiscal implications
Subject to appropriation.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.