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Bill

HB 1127

Public Schools - Water Safety - Instructional Content

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Adrian Boafo and 23 co-sponsors

Maryland would require public schools to teach water safety and swimming competency to prevent drowning deaths among students before graduation.

Hearing 4/02 at 3:00 p.m.
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Bill Summary · HB 1127

Legislative bill overview

HB 1127 requires Maryland public schools to include water safety instruction as part of their curriculum. The bill mandates that students receive educational content about water hazards, swimming proficiency, and drowning prevention before graduation.

Why is this important

Drowning is a leading cause of unintentional injury death among children and adolescents in the United States. Mandatory water safety education could reduce drowning incidents by equipping students with survival skills and hazard awareness before they encounter water independently or recreationally.

Potential points of contention

  • Implementation costs: Schools must allocate funding and resources for qualified instructors, pool access, and curriculum development, which may strain already-tight education budgets
  • Equity concerns: Not all schools have pools or facilities; disparities could emerge between well-funded districts and under-resourced ones in quality and access to instruction
  • Curriculum crowding: Adding required content competes with existing mandates and may displace other subjects, raising questions about priorities in already-packed school days

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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