S 428

ENROLLED
2026 Legislature  SB 428, 1st Engrossed
  2026428er
1
2An act relating to drowning prevention; amending s.
3514.073, F.S.; revising the purpose of the Swimming
4Lesson Voucher Program; revising the age requirements
5for children receiving a voucher through the program;
6creating s. 383.3363, F.S.; requiring the Department
7of Health to develop educational materials on drowning
8prevention safety measures and safe bathing practices
9for specified purposes; specifying requirements for
10such materials; requiring hospitals, birth centers,
11and home birth providers to provide the educational
12materials to new parents and caregivers as part of
13their postpartum education and care; requiring
14childbirth educators to provide the informational
15materials to parents or caregivers receiving
16childbirth education; amending ss. 383.318 and
17395.1053, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made
18by the act; providing an effective date.
19
20Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
21
22Section 1. Subsection (1) and paragraph (b) of subsection
23(2) of section 514.073, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
24514.073 Swimming Lesson Voucher Program.—
25(1) There is created within the department the Swimming
26Lesson Voucher Program. The purpose of the program is to
27increase water safety and prevent drownings in this state by
28offering vouchers for swimming lessons at no cost to families
29with an income of no more than 200 percent of the federal
30poverty level who have one or more children between 1 and 7 4
31years of age or younger.
32(2) The department shall do all of the following to
33implement the program:
34(b) Establish a method for members of the public to apply
35for swimming lesson vouchers and for determining an applicant’s
36eligibility. The department shall establish eligibility criteria
37necessary for a family to receive one or more vouchers from the
38program, including, but not limited to, the following:
391. The age of each child for whom a voucher is being
40sought, who must be between 1 and 7 may be no more than 4 years
41of age.
422. The family income level, which may be up to 200 percent
43of the federal poverty level.
443. The family’s address of residency in this state.
45Section 2. Section 383.3363, Florida Statutes, is created
46to read:
47383.3363 Education on drowning prevention safety measures
48and safe bathing practices.—
49(1) The Department of Health shall develop educational
50materials on drowning prevention safety measures and safe
51bathing practices to be distributed to parents or caregivers as
52part of postpartum or childbirth education provided by
53hospitals, birth centers, home birth providers, and childbirth
54educators in this state. The materials must include, but need
55not be limited to, instruction on all of the following:
56(a) The increased risk of drowning for infants and toddlers
57in bathtubs, pools, and other water sources, citing available
58data on such drownings.
59(b) Water safety measures parents can employ to prevent
60drowning, emphasizing the importance of constant supervision of
61infants and children while they are around water and the
62benefits of early childhood swimming lessons and water
63competency programs as an added layer of protection from
64drowning.
65(c) Additional safety hazards in the home setting and
66evidence-based safe bathing practices.
67(2) Hospitals, birth centers, and home birth providers
68providing maternity, prenatal, and newborn services shall
69provide the educational materials developed under subsection (1)
70to the parents or caregivers of a newborn as part of their
71postpartum education and care.
72(3) Childbirth educators shall provide the educational
73materials developed under subsection (1) to the parents or
74caregivers receiving childbirth education.
75Section 3. Paragraph (j) is added to subsection (4) of
76section 383.318, Florida Statutes, to read:
77383.318 Postpartum care for birth center clients and
78infants.—
79(4) The birth center shall provide a postpartum evaluation
80and follow-up followup care that includes all of the following:
81(j) Provision of the educational materials on drowning
82prevention safety measures and safe bathing practices developed
83by the Department of Health under s. 383.3363.
84Section 4. Section 395.1053, Florida Statutes, is amended
85to read:
86395.1053 Postpartum education.—A hospital that provides
87birthing services shall provide each parent with postpartum
88education on the care of newborns, which must include all of the
89following:
90(1) incorporate Information on safe sleep practices and the
91possible causes of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death. into the
92hospital’s postpartum instruction on the care of newborns and
93provide to each parent
94(2) The informational pamphlet on infant and childhood eye
95and vision disorders created by the department pursuant to s.
96383.14(3)(h).
97(3) The educational materials on drowning prevention safety
98measures and safe bathing practices developed by the department
99under s. 383.3363.
100Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.