Public Safety Committee to Consider Swimming Safety Bill Today

The legislature’s public safety and security committee will hold a hearing today on a bill establishing uniform standards for swimming pool safety at public schools.

The bill was introduced after two Connecticut students drowned in swim class last year.

A Courant review found that safety standards in children’s swim classes vary throughout Connecticut, from the stringent requirements that direct state-licensed organizations and youth camps to the more vague guidelines used in public schools.

The lack of uniformity in safety policies and the extent of their enforcement came under scrutiny after the school drownings, prompting legislators to suggest the need for more standardized safety guidelines.

Swimming pool safety is one of several matters on the committee’s public hearing agenda. The hearing begins at 11 a.m. in the Legislative Office Building.