By Margie Donlon and Luanne Peterpaul

As people head to the beach this July 4th weekend, we want to remind everyone to be careful in the water. We also want to update you on the progress of our water safety legislation.

We continue to garner support for our legislation to require water safety instruction as part of New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education. Our bill requires each school district to incorporate instruction on water safety into the health education curriculum for students in grades K through 12. The instruction would include information on the nature and danger of rip tides, as well as the importance of learning about water conditions and beach safety practices.

When swimmers understand how riptides work, how to signal the lifeguards that they need help, as well as the sightline limitations of lifeguards and others monitoring them from the beach, they will be better prepared when they are in distress. 

We also have cosponsored legislation to designate May of each year as "Water Safety Month" in NJ to raise awareness for safe water practices, and for accident and drowning prevention. This legislation encourages the Department or Education to provide resources on water safety in consultation with the Department of Health. The bill calls for the agencies to provide resources and water safety education for school districts to hold presentations and educational activities during “Water Safety Month” for students in grades kindergarten through fifth. 

As we celebrate America’s 250th Birthday this weekend, we are grateful for the personal freedoms that we enjoy as citizens of our democracy. We are reminded what history has taught us - and continues to teach us - that we must never stop standing up for those freedoms. 

That’s why we have sponsored and cosponsored legislation that secures protections for patients and providers accessing and providing reproductive health care services. In May, the Senate passed legislation to create a new crime for physically preventing an individual from seeking legally protected healthcare. Our Legislative District 11 partner, Senator Vin Gopal, is a cosponsor in the Senate.

Our sponsored and cosponsored legislation that codifies prohibition of discriminatory practices in real estate appraisals was signed into law during the last legislative session. Our bill requires real estate appraisers to complete anti-bias training. No one should be deprived of a place to live because of who they are. 

We have also sponsored legislation to include affectional or sexual orientation and gender identity or expression into affirmative action programs under public works contracts. We believe that all bids for public contracts should be considered equally.

We also supported legislation that establishes the "Privacy Protection Act" and has been signed into law. The new law provides that a government entity may share automated license plate recognition information with a law enforcement agency of another jurisdiction only if that agency certifies that it will abide by certain terms regarding the information’s use. No one should have to worry about their personal information being shared without their permission.

We want to wish everyone a happy 4th of July. As we celebrate the birth of our democracy, let’s rededicate ourselves to standing up for the individual freedoms that we all hold dear.

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