Requires documents utilized by state agencies, public authorities and municipalities to replace the term "emotionally disturbed person"

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Khaleel Anderson and 7 co-sponsors

Designates May as Water Safety Month; encourages DOE/DOH to provide optional K-5 water-safety resources and activities, boosting awareness and nonprofit partnerships.

SIGNED CHAP.414

Summary — A4762 (Signed as Chapter 414, 2025)

Status: Signed by Governor (Chapter 414) on September 26, 2025. Effective 180 days after enactment (March 25, 2026).
Introduced: September 19, 2024. Primary sponsor: Assemblywoman Monique Chandler‑Waterman. Vote in Assembly: 78–0–0 (June 12, 2025). Companion/related bills: S3792, S8210; prior-session A7083.

Note on title discrepancy: the title provided at the top of the request appears unrelated to the bill text. The legislative text and committee statements for A4762 establish a “Water Safety Month” and related school resources; this summary reflects the enacted Water Safety bill.

Purpose and intent
- To raise public awareness of safe water practices and reduce water‑related accidents and drownings by designating May of each year as “Water Safety Month.”
- To encourage age‑appropriate water‑safety education for young students and to promote coordination between the Department of Education (DOE) and the Department of Health (DOH).

Key provisions
- Designation: May of each year is designated “Water Safety Month.”
- Education resources (non‑mandatory): The DOE, in consultation with DOH, is encouraged to provide resources to school districts and public schools to hold presentations and educational activities on water safety for students in grades kindergarten through five.
- Partnerships allowed: Presentations and activities may be conducted in partnership with nonprofit organizations.
- Statutory placement: The act supplements Title 36 of the Revised Statutes and chapter 36 of Title 18A.

Findings cited
- The bill’s preamble cites CDC statistics noting drowning as the leading cause of death for children ages 1–4 and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for ages 5–14 to justify the designation.

Who is affected / likely impact
- Directly encouraged: New Jersey Department of Education and Department of Health (coordination role).
- Beneficiaries: School districts, public schools, students in grades K–5, parents, and community nonprofit partners.
- Nature of impact: Primarily informational and programmatic (encouragement, resource provision) rather than regulatory or funding‑mandated. It establishes a recurring public awareness observance and supports (but does not require) school‑based water‑safety programming.

Legislative timeline (selected)
- Introduced in Assembly: 9/19/2024; reported out of Assembly Education Committee: 5/8/2025; Assembly passed: 6/12/2025 (78–0–0); delivered to Senate and passed: 6/12/2025; delivered to Governor: 9/22/2025; signed into law (Chapter 414): 9/26/2025. Effective date: March 25, 2026 (180 days after enactment).