LESC bill analyses are available on the New Mexico Legislature website (www.nmlegis.gov). Bill analyses are
prepared by LESC staff for standing education committees of the New Mexico Legislature. LESC does not assume
any responsibility for the accuracy of these reports if they are used for other purposes.
LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE
BILL ANALYSIS
57th Legislature, 1st Session, 2025
Bill Number HB532 Sponsor Sanchez
Tracking Number .230821.1 Committee Referrals HCPAC/HEC
Short Title Student Water Safety Guidance
Original Date 2/24/2025
Analyst Hicks Last Updated
BILL SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
House Bill 532 (HB532) would require each local school board and charter school governing body
to develop or adopt water safety guidance that informs students and parents about local water
safety options and swimming lessons, as well as general guidance about safety around bodies of
water and water infrastructure. Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, this guidance would
need to be provided to parents upon a student’s enrollment, or no later than the 10th day of the
school year. Schools would be allowed to incorporate this guidance into their school or district
handbook if written acknowledgement of receipt is provided by parents.
FISCAL IMPACT
HB532 does not contain an appropriation.
HB532 may have fiscal implications for public schools to develop or purchase curricula and
materials, or to contract with external entities to provide water safety education.
SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
New Mexico Statute and Administrative Code. Under current state law, there is no requirement
for schools to provide water safety guidance to students and parents. Administrative code requires
foster care providers to provide water safety instruction to children in their care if the home is
adjacent to a body of water or swimming pool but does not pertain to public schools. This section
of administrative code notes water safety instruction does not necessarily mean swimming lessons
and should cover broader key knowledge and skills about water safety.
Drowning Deaths. SB532 would require schools to provide water safety guidance to students and
parents alike. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than
4,000 unintentional drowning deaths occur each year. Drowning is the second leading cause of
unintentional injury death for children between the ages of 5 and 14 years old. From 2018 to 2021,
the annual age-adjusted drowning death rate in New Mexico was 1.62 deaths per 100 thousand,
HB532 – Page 2
higher than the nationwide rate of 1.31 deaths per 100 thousand people. New Mexico’s drowning
death rate ranks as the 11th highest death rate in the United States.
Drowning deaths in the United States are on the rise, with 500 more people per year dying from
drowning between 2020 and 2022 compared with 2019. The CDC reports drowning rates are
highest among Native American, Alaska Native, and Black persons.
Swimming Lessons. Data from the CDC in 2024 indicate only 45 percent of American adults have
ever taken a swimming lesson. Among Black and Hispanic adults, this percentage declines to 37
percent and 28 percent, respectively. In a 2021 study by the Children’s Hospital of Chicago, the
primary barriers for parents registering their children for swimming lessons were cost, time, and
access. SB532 would direct schools to provide students and their families with information about
local swimming lessons and other water safety information, potentially helping address the issue
of access.
U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan. SB532 would direct schools to develop or adopt water
safety guidance. The 2023-2032 U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan was created with input
from the American Red Cross, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Consumer Product Safety Commission,
the CDC, and the National Park Service, among other partners. This plan includes 99
recommendations to improve water safety knowledge and promote drowning prevention. Among
these recommendations is the development of minimum educational standards for water safety
education. This action plan could be a useful tool for schools to develop guidance compliant with
the provisions of HB532 should the legislation become law.
ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS
HB532 does not include language about rulemaking, nor does the does the bill outline any form of
state oversight for its requirements. HB532 may require the Public Education Department to adopt
rules and publish resources necessary to implement the bill.
HB532 would require public schools to develop or adopt safety guidance and communicate this
guidance to families. Schools would likely also need to coordinate with community partners to
identify swimming lesson providers and other local water safety initiatives.
OTHER SIGNIFICANT ISSUES
National Context. According to the ZAC Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting
water safety, as well as a contributor to the U.S. National Water Safety Action Plan, only Louisiana
legally requires water safety education in schools. States like New York, Florida, Arkansas, and
Georgia have either introduced swimming initiatives or adopted laws to support swimming
lessons, but do not require water safety education.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
• LESC Files
• New Mexico Regional Education Cooperatives Association (NMRECA)
CLH/mam/tb/jkh