BEACH SAFETY; ANTIDROWNING INFO                                                   S.B. 563 (S-2):

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                     REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

Senate Bill 563 (Substitute S-2 as reported)

Sponsor:  Senator Kimberly LaSata

Committee:  Natural Resources

CONTENT

The bill would amend Part 801 (Marine Safety) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to require the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to develop guidance for beach safety and antidrowning techniques and to require a local unit of government that maintained a water access site and a publicly accessible website to post and maintain the information on their website.

Part 801 requires the owner or person in charge of a bathing beach maintained primarily for public use not to knowingly allow a person to swim from the beach unless buoys outlining a safe swimming area are established.

The bill would require the DNR to do the following:

-- Develop guidance for beach safety and antidrowning techniques.

-- Post the beach safety and antidrowning techniques information on the DNR website.

-- Make the beach safety and antidrowning techniques information available to local units of government in a format to post on their website.

The bill would require a local unit of government that maintained a water access site and a publicly accessible website to post and maintain on the website guidance related to beach safety and antidrowning techniques to the guidance.

MCL 324.80198b                                                          Legislative Analyst:  Eleni Lionas

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

Date Completed:  6-9-22                                                     Fiscal Analyst:  Ryan Bergan

                                                                                                         Chris Semrinec

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.