New Jersey A 3739: Designates May of each year as "Water Safety Month" in NJ; encourages DOE to provide resources on water safety.

Bill Text

A3739 

ASSEMBLY, No. 3739 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman ALIXON COLLAZOS-GILL

District 27 (Essex and Passaic)

Assemblyman SEAN T. KEAN

District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)

Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Donlon, Assemblyman Inganamort, Assemblywomen 
Fantasia, McCoy, Park, Assemblyman Bailey and Assemblywoman Peterpaul

SYNOPSIS

���� Designates May of each year as "Water Safety 
Month" in NJ; encourages DOE to provide resources on water safety.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative 
Counsel.

��

An Act concerning water safety and supplementing Title 
36 of the Revised Statutes and chapter 36 of Title 18A of the New Jersey 
Statutes.

���� Be It 
Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of 
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� The Legislature finds 
and declares that:

���� a.� Water safety involves 
proactive measures, including age-appropriate education, to promote safety in, 
on, and around bodies of water to reduce the risk of accidents, injuries, and 
drowning.

���� b.� Safe water activity 
requires supervision, access to safety equipment, and awareness of lifesaving 
techniques.

���� c.� When practiced safely, 
water activities may encourage healthy development, improved confidence, and 
collective well-being.

���� d.� According to the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the leading cause of death for 
children ages one to four, and the second leading cause of unintentional injury 
death for ages five to 14.

���� e.� It is reasonable, 
necessary, and in the public interest for New Jersey to designate the month of 
May as Water Safety Month to raise public awareness of safe water practices.

���� 2.��� May of each year is 
designated as �Water Safety Month� to raise awareness for safe water practices 
and accident and drowning prevention.

���� 3.��� The Department of 
Education is encouraged to, in consultation with the Department of Health, 
provide resources to school districts to hold presentations and educational 
activities during �Water Safety Month� for students in grades kindergarten 
through five to provide water safety education. The presentations and 
educational activities may be held in partnership with nonprofit organizations. 
The Department of Education is encouraged to, in consultation with the 
Department of Health, provide resources to public schools to educate students 
on water safety.

���� 4.��� This act shall take 
effect on the 180th day next following the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

���� This bill designates May of 
each year as �Water Safety Month� to raise awareness for safe water practices 
and accident and drowning prevention.

���� The bill encourages the 
Department of Education (DOE), in consultation with the Department of Health 
(DOH), to provide resources to school districts to hold presentations and 
educational activities during �Water Safety Month� for students in grades kindergarten 
through five to provide water safety education. The bill stipulates that the 
presentations and educational activities may be held in partnership with 
nonprofit organizations. The bill also encourages the DOE, in consultation with 
the DOH, to provide resources to public schools to educate students on water 
safety.