Water safety; require public schools to provide parents and students information on importance of and availability of local courses.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's definition of 'water safety' does not include specific details about the content or structure of courses.

Water Safety Education Information for Schools

This bill requires public schools to provide information on water safety education courses and swimming lessons to parents enrolling their children or directly to students aged 18 years or older.

What This Bill Does

• Defines 'water safety' as age-appropriate education intended to promote safety in, on, and around bodies of water and reduce the risk of injury or drowning.
• Requires public schools to provide information on the importance of water safety courses and swimming lessons to parents enrolling their children initially at school.
• Specifies that this information must include local options for age-appropriate water safety courses and swimming lessons that result in a certificate indicating successful completion, including those offered for free or at a reduced price.
• Requires public schools to provide the same information directly to students who are 18 years of age or older or under 21 enrolling in adult education classes.
• Specifies that this information must be provided either electronically or on paper.

Who It Names or Affects

• Public school parents enrolling their children
• Students aged 18 years or older
• Under-21 students enrolling in adult education classes

Terms To Know

water safety

Age-appropriate education intended to promote safety in, on, and around bodies of water and reduce the risk of injury or drowning.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill did not pass in the session it was introduced.
• It would have taken effect on July 1, 2026, but since it did not pass, this date is no longer relevant.

Official Summary Text

Water safety; require public schools to provide parents and students information on importance of and availability of local courses.

Current Bill Text

H. B. No. 483 *HR43/R604* ~ OFFICIAL ~ G1/2
26/HR43/R604
PAGE 1 (DJ\KP)

To: Education
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Representative Yancey

HOUSE BILL NO. 483

AN ACT TO REQUIRE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE SPECIFIED 1
INFORMATION TO CERTAIN PARENTS OR STUDENTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF 2
WATER SAFETY EDUCATION COURSES AND SWIMMING LESSONS; TO REQUIRE 3
THE INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED ELECTRONICALLY OR IN HARD COPY AND 4
INCLUDE LOCAL OPTIONS FOR AGE-APPROPRIATE WATER SAFETY COURSES AND 5
SWIMMING LESSONS THAT RESULT IN CERTIFICATION INDICATING 6
SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION; TO DEFINE THE TERM "WATER SAFETY"; AND FOR 7
RELATED PURPOSES. 8
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 9
SECTION 1. (1) For the purposes of this section, the term 10
"water safety" means age-appropriate education intended to promote 11
safety in, on, and around bodies of water and reduce the risk of 12
injury or drowning. 13
(2) Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, each public 14
school shall provide, to a parent who initially enrolls his or her 15
child in the school, information on the important role water 16
safety education courses and swimming lessons play in saving 17
lives. The information must be provided electronically or in hard 18
copy and must include local options for age-appropriate water 19
safety courses and swimming lessons that result in a certificate 20
indicating successful completion, including courses and lessons 21
H. B. No. 483 *HR43/R604* ~ OFFICIAL ~
26/HR43/R604
PAGE 2 (DJ\KP)
ST: Water safety; require public schools to
provide parents and students information on
importance of and availability of local courses.
offered for free or at a reduced price. If the student is 22
eighteen (18) years of age or older, or is under the age of 23
twenty-one (21) and is enrolling in adult education classes, the 24
information must be provided to the student. 25
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 26
and after July 1, 2026. 27