01-14 11:47 S.B. 108
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Water Safety Amendments
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Jen Plumb
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LONG TITLE
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General Description:
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This bill enacts provisions related to water safety.
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Highlighted Provisions:
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This bill:
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▸ defines terms;
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▸ creates a restricted account;
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▸ creates a drowning prevention and water safety grant program for providing swimming
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lessons to low income children; and
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▸ creates a reporting requirement.
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Money Appropriated in this Bill:
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This bill appropriates $250,000 in operating and capital budgets for fiscal year 2026, all of
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which is from the various sources as detailed in this bill.
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This bill appropriates $250,000 in restricted fund and account transfers for fiscal year 2026, all
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of which is from the General Fund.
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Other Special Clauses:
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None
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Utah Code Sections Affected:
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ENACTS:
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26B-1-336, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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26B-7-125, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
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Section 1. Section 26B-1-336 is enacted to read:
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26B-1-336 . Drowning Prevention and Water Safety Restricted Account.
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(1) As used in this section:
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(a) "Account" means the Drowning Prevention and Water Safety Restricted Account
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created in this section.
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(b) "Program" means the Drowning Prevention and Water Safety Grant Program created S.B. 108 01-14 11:47
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in Section 26B-7-125.
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(2) There is created within the General Fund a restricted account known as the "Drowning
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Prevention and Water Safety Restricted Account."
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(3) The account shall be funded by:
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(a) appropriations from the Legislature;
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(b) private donations;
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(c) grants; and
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(d) interest earned on money in the account.
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(4)(a) Subject to appropriation and Subsection (4)(b), the department shall use money in
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the account to:
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(i) fund the program; and
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(ii) pay for administrative costs of:
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(A) managing the account; and
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(B) managing the program.
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(b) For each legislative appropriation into the account, the department may not use more
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than 10% of the appropriation amount for managing the account or managing the
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program.
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Section 2. Section 26B-7-125 is enacted to read:
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26B-7-125 . Drowning Prevention and Water Safety Grant Program.
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(1) As used in this section:
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(a) "Eligible child" means a child:
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(i) under the age of five years old; and
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(ii) that resides in a household that has a gross family income that does not exceed
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200% of the federal poverty level.
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(b) "Qualified entity" means any of the following that provide swimming instruction:
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(i) a local health department;
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(ii) a nonprofit organization;
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(iii) a local government entity;
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(iv) a tribal government;
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(v) a school district; or
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(vi) a private organization.
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(c) "Swimming instruction" means formal swimming lessons that:
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(i) are taught by a certified water safety instructor; and
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(ii) follow a structured curriculum focused on teaching swimming skills and water
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safety.
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(2) There is created within the department the Drowning Prevention and Water Safety
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Grant Program.
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(3) Subject to legislative appropriations, the department shall:
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(a) establish a competitive grant process to award grants to qualified entities that provide
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swimming instruction to an eligible child;
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(b) establish criteria for evaluating grant applications, including:
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(i) demonstrated need within the community to be served;
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(ii) qualifications and experience of the qualified entity; and
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(iii) proposed budget and cost-effectiveness of the swimming instruction; and
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(c) establish reporting requirements for grant recipients.
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(4) A qualified entity that receives a grant under this section shall use the grant money only
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for paying the fees associated with providing swimming instruction to an eligible child.
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(5) The department shall:
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(a) collect data on program outcomes and impact;
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(b) before November 1 of each year, submit a report to the Health and Human Services
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Interim Committee that includes:
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(i) the number of swimming instruction grants awarded;
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(ii) the number of eligible children whose fees were paid by grant money;
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(iii) the geographic distribution of funded programs;
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(iv) program outcomes and effectiveness; and
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(v) recommendations for improving water safety in the state.
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(6) The department may seek additional funding through:
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(a) federal grants;
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(b) private donations; or
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(c) other public or private sources.
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(7) The department shall make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah
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Administrative Rulemaking Act, to establish:
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(a) grant application procedures;
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(b) funding priorities;
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(c) eligibility criteria;
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(d) reporting requirements;
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(e) fund distribution methods; and
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(f) program evaluation metrics.
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Section 3. FY 2026 Appropriation.
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The following sums of money are appropriated for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
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2025, and ending June 30, 2026. These are additions to amounts previously appropriated for
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fiscal year 2026.
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Subsection 3(a). Operating and Capital Budgets
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Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures Act, the
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Legislature appropriates the following sums of money from the funds or accounts indicated for
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the use and support of the government of the state of Utah.
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ITEM 1 To Department of Health and Human Services - Public Health, Prevention, and
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Epidemiology
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From General Fund Restricted - Drowning Prevention
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and Water Safety Restricted Account, One-time 250,000
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Schedule of Programs:
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Drowning Prevention and Water Safety 250,000
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Subsection 3(b). Restricted Fund and Account Transfers
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The Legislature authorizes the State Division of Finance to transfer the following
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amounts between the following funds or accounts as indicated. Expenditures and outlays from
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the funds to which the money is transferred must be authorized by an appropriation.
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ITEM 2 To Drowning Prevention and Water Safety Restricted Account
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From General Fund, One-time 250,000
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Schedule of Programs:
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Drowning Prevention and Water Safety
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Restricted Account 250,000
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Section 4. Effective Date.
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This bill takes effect on May 7, 2025.
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