On October 6, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law AB 1005 — new drowning prevention legislation that brings water safety education to the state’s public schools.
The California Pool and Spa Association (CPSA) supported AB 1005 throughout the legislative process, recognizing its importance as a landmark step in reducing drowning — one of the leading causes of death and hospitalizations among California children and youth. While current law acknowledges the importance of aquatic education, it has been limited to high school students. This bill ensures that children of all ages — and their parents — will gain access to critical water safety knowledge and resources, including how to access swim lessons.
Here is what AB 1005 actually does:
• Requires the State Department of Education (CDE) to gather and make available on its website schoolbased water safety and drowning prevention educational resources and curriculum that are age-appropriate and adaptable for public school use.
• Authorizes and encourages public schools to provide these informational materials, at no cost, to students' parents, guardians, and caregivers.
• Establishes the “Swim Lesson Voucher and Swim Lesson Directory Development Plan Partnership” to develop guidelines for creating a statewide online directory of swim lesson programs and a voucher program to offer no-cost swim lessons for children under 18 from lower-income families.
AB 1005 strengthens California's Education Code by authorizing schools to partner directly with drowning prevention and child safety organizations to bring water safety education to parents and students across all grade levels.
