THE BILL ITSELF
CS/HB 503
Drowning Prevention Education
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to drowning prevention education;
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creating s. 383.3363, F.S.; requiring the Department
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of Health to develop educational materials on drowning
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prevention safety measures and safe bathing practices
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for specified purposes; providing requirements for
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such materials; requiring hospitals, birth centers,
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and home birth providers to provide the educational
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materials to new parents and caregivers as part of
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their postpartum education and care; requiring
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childbirth educators to provide the informational
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materials to parents or caregivers receiving
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childbirth education from them; amending ss. 383.318
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and 395.1053, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes
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made by the act; providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Section 383.3363, Florida Statutes, is created
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to read:
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383.3363 Education on drowning prevention safety measures
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and safe bathing practices.—
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(1) The Department of Health shall develop educational
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materials on drowning prevention safety measures and safe
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bathing practices to be distributed to parents or caregivers as
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part of postpartum or childbirth education provided by
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hospitals, birth centers, home birth providers, and childbirth
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educators in this state. The materials must include, but need
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not be limited to, instruction on all of the following:
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(a) The increased risk of drowning for infants and
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toddlers in bathtubs, pools, and other water sources, citing
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available data on such drownings.
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(b) Water safety measures parents can employ to prevent
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drowning, emphasizing the importance of constant supervision of
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infants and children while they are around water and the
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benefits of early childhood swimming lessons and water
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competency programs as an added layer of protection from
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drownings.
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(c) Additional safety hazards in the home setting and
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evidence-based safe bathing practices.
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(2) Each hospital, birth center, and home birth provider
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providing maternity, prenatal, and newborn services shall
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provide the educational materials developed under subsection (1)
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to the parents or caregivers of a newborn as part of its
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postpartum education and care.
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(3) Childbirth educators shall provide the educational
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materials developed under subsection (1) to the parents or
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caregivers receiving childbirth education.
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Section 2. Paragraph (j) is added to subsection (4) of
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section 383.318, Florida Statutes, to read:
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383.318 Postpartum care for birth center clients and
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infants.—
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(4) The birth center shall provide a postpartum evaluation
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and followup care that includes all of the following:
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(j) Provision of the educational materials on drowning
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prevention safety measures and safe bathing practices developed
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by the Department of Health under s. 383.3363.
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Section 3. Section 395.1053, Florida Statutes, is amended
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to read:
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395.1053 Postpartum education.—A hospital that provides
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birthing services shall provide each parent with postpartum
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education on the care of newborns, which must include all of the
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following:
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(1) incorporate Information on safe sleep practices and
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the possible causes of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death. into the
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hospital's postpartum instruction on the care of newborns and
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provide to each parent
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(2) Provision of the informational pamphlet on infant and
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childhood eye and vision disorders created by the department
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pursuant to s. 383.14(3)(h).
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(3) Provision of the educational materials on drowning
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prevention safety measures and safe bathing practices developed
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by the department under s. 383.3363.
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Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.