Bill > S273

This bill introduces comprehensive safety regulations for day camps offering aquatic activities for school-age children, requiring certified lifeguards to meet specific supervision and safety standards. The bill defines key terms such as "day camp" (a recreation program for three or more school-age children operating less than four consecutive months per year) and "aquatic activities" (swimming, instruction, wading, water park visits), while explicitly excluding water play activities like sprinklers. Day camps must provide lifeguards with current Red Cross certification, maintain a lifeguard ratio of two lifeguards for the first 25 children and one additional lifeguard per 15 children, use a lifeguard chair at least 6 feet high, and conduct mandatory swim tests for participants. Children unable to swim across a public swimming pool must wear a properly fitted, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket, which must be appropriately sized, in good condition, and readily accessible. The bill prohibits aquatic activities in hot tubs, spas, saunas, steam rooms, portable wading pools, and unfiltered water containments. The Department of Health and Human Services will establish implementation policies, and the law will become effective on June 1, 2026, providing day camps time to prepare for the new requirements.

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S273