Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers

Full Title:
Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act

Summary#

The Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act requires the Secretary of the Interior to work with local government agencies when there is a lifeguard staffing shortage at certain public swimming areas. The Secretary must seek agreements so locally employed lifeguards can staff those designated swim locations during normal seasonal hours and provide rescue and first aid as needed. The Secretary must reimburse local agencies for all reasonable costs of providing those lifeguard services. Existing agreements for lifeguard services must be amended as needed to provide full reimbursement regardless of prior cost-sharing terms. The bill defines a "designated swim location" as a swimming area on lands or waters managed by the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, or Bureau of Reclamation that is normally monitored by federally employed lifeguards. It defines a "staffing shortage" as a level of staffing that harms the ability to adequately staff such a location and could leave it unmonitored, but it excludes short-term absences like annual or sick leave.

What it means for you#

  • If you visit a designated swim area on public lands, the bill aims to keep lifeguards on duty during normal seasonal hours even when federal lifeguards are short.
  • Local agencies may be asked to provide lifeguards at those sites and will be reimbursed for reasonable costs.
  • The Interior Department (the Secretary) must arrange and pay for these services when it finds a staffing shortage.

Expenses#

  • The bill requires the Secretary to reimburse local agencies for all reasonable costs they incur while providing lifeguard services.
  • Existing agreements must be changed if needed so the local agency receives full reimbursement.
  • No publicly available information on estimated total costs or budgetary offsets is included in the provided text.

Proponents' View#

  • The bill’s stated purpose is to ensure continuity of staffing at beaches and swimming areas and to protect visitor safety by making sure lifeguards are present and able to provide rescue and first aid when federal lifeguard staffing is insufficient.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.