Drowning prevention: public schools: informational materials.

Assembly Member Davies' drowning prevention legislation modifies how water safety information reaches California's public school communities while establishing new oversight mechanisms for related public health regulations. The bill revises requirements for drowning prevention organizations that provide educational materials to schools, mandating English-language materials with encouraged translations into other commonly spoken languages, rather than requiring materials in multiple languages. Organizations must now document that their materials align with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on water safety and drowning prevention.

The State Department of Education, consulting with the Departments of Developmental Services and Public Health, will create an online repository of age-appropriate water safety curricula and resources for schools. Public schools maintain discretion over how to distribute these materials, which they may provide during enrollment, at the start of each academic year, and through various channels including assemblies and classroom instruction. The bill specifies that school administrators are not responsible for verifying organizations' compliance with content alignment requirements.

Under new provisions in the Health and Safety Code, the Department of Public Health gains authority to evaluate existing drowning prevention statutes and regulations, particularly those adopted between 2010 and 2025. This review aims to ensure regulatory alignment with current public health practices, allowing the department to recommend technical updates to the Legislature to enhance implementation and compliance.