IL SR0125

Encourages Illinois school districts to provide age-appropriate water safety education to reduce the risk of injury or drowning in, on, and around bodies of water

Highlights that drowning is the number one cause of unintentional deaths for children ages 1-4, and 54% of adult Americans cannot swim well enough to save themselves in an emergency

References the Every Child a Swimmer (ECAS) program, a division of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, which provides swim lesson scholarships to low-income families

Notes that similar water safety legislation has been implemented in Florida, Georgia, and Arkansas, requiring K-12 schools to provide information on water safety and local swim lesson options

Directs copies of the resolution to be sent to the Illinois State Board of Education and the Every Child a Swimmer program