§276.1. Water safety; required instruction

            A.(1) Age- and grade-appropriate instruction on water safety shall be provided to each public school student. Such instruction shall be incorporated into an existing required course, such as health, physical education, or another course deemed appropriate by the public school governing authority.

            (2) At a minimum, such instruction shall include instruction on the following:

            (a) The proper use of flotation devices.

            (b) Awareness of water conditions.

            (c) The proper supervision of swim areas.

            (d) Safe behaviors in and around the water.

            (e) The importance of pool barriers and fencing.

            (f) The importance of formal swim lessons.

            (g) The importance of avoiding alcohol and substance use with water recreation.

            (h) The importance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation for drowning victims and the importance of administering such aid.

            B.(1) Each governing authority shall adopt policies necessary for the implementation of this Section.

            (2) Each governing authority may customize the instruction for its student population based on geographic characteristics and any other special circumstances applicable to the school or school district.

            C.(1) The state Department of Education shall establish and maintain a clearinghouse of instructional materials and information regarding model water safety curricula and best practices for water safety instruction.

            (2) The department shall review the materials and information at least once biannually and revise them based on updated information, as needed.

            Acts 2022, No. 722, §3.