State Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, today introduced legislation to ensure children have access to swim lessons and certified swim instructors have the ability to continue teaching lessons at private residential swimming pools during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Learning how to swim can be the difference between life and death,” said Gavarone. “By enacting this legislation, we’re ensuring that children, even during this “Stay at Home” time, can continue to receive swimming lessons and parents can feel more confident in their child’s ability to swim through the summer, while many will be distracted with working from home.”
Senate Bill 309 will allow certified swimming classes to take place at a residential swimming pool without requiring the homeowner to obtain a public swimming pool license.
The issue was brought to Gavarone by a Wood County swim instructor and she worked with interested parties and county health commissioner on the legislation. The bill ensures safety standards are in place by requiring classes be conducted on a one-on-one basis.
A private residential swimming pool is defined as a pool used by no more than three families and used by residents of the home, the resident’s non-paying guests and a paying guest of a resident if such guest is participating in a certified swimming class conducted by a certified swimming instructor.
The swim instructor must be certified by Infant Self Rescue (ISR), American Red Cross or any other swim instructor authorized by the Director of Health.
To learn more about this legislation visit OhioSenate.gov/legislation.
