Florida lawmakers file bill requiring water safety lessons in schools

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A Florida State senator has proposed a law that would require each school district to incorporate “age-appropriate water safety instruction into health classes for kids in grades K  through 12.”

Sen. Jason Pizzo filed SB 608 which would require mandatory classes covering the proper use of flotation devices, awareness of water conditions, what to do if caught in a rip current, the importance of swim lessons and more.

According to the Florida Department of Health, the state leads the country in drowning deaths -- especially with children between the ages of one and four. Within that age group, the number is so high that it’s enough children to fill three to four preschool classrooms, annually. 

An identical bill has been filed in the Florida House of Representatives.