TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A newly proposed Florida bill would provide free swimming lessons to children from low-income families.
Senate Bill 544, also known as the “Swimming Lesson Voucher Program,” was filed on Nov. 20, aiming to increase water safety in the Sunshine State.
The program was introduced by District 7 Republican Senator Travis Houston. If approved, the bill would take effect on July 1, 2024.
According to the bill, the program will offer vouchers free of charge to families with an income of no more than 200 percent of the federal poverty level who have one or more children age 4 or younger.
The Department of Health would then need to contact vendors that will accept the vouchers in exchange for swimming lessons.
SB 544 also states that any vendor that offers swimming lessons at a public pool that is owned or maintained by a county or municipality must participate in the program if requested by the department.
According to the Child Fatality Prevention website, there have been 88 child drownings in Florida so far this year.
The CDC reported that more children ages 1 to 4 died from drowning than any other cause of death. It’s also the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5 to 14, behind vehicle crashes.
