Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill to create Water Safety Commission

On December 22, 2021, Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill mandating the establishment of a Water Safety Commission!  The Commission will be appointed soon and tasked with exploring the needs for water safety education in schools over the next 18 months. 

We have been part of a coalition advocating for New York State legislation (S728) that would make water safety education a requirement in schools. This is extra important to us, because we believe swim education is a necessary precondition for our vision of free and safe access to the river for all.  As stated in the bill signed by the Governor, the commission is “hereby created to evaluate and develop programs to properly educate and instruct children on water safety and how to swim.”

Read the full bill here!