Aquatics International by Rebecca Robledo
Congress is taking another swipe at legislation that industry advocates believe will make it easier for families to afford swim lessons.
HR 1506, called the Safe Water Instruction for Minors (SWIM) Act, proposes that basic swim lessons become classified as a qualified expense for applying funds from Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Savings Accounts (FSAs). This would allow the use of pre-tax dollars.
“The SWIM Act is a key step towards ensuring wider access to swim lessons for children throughout the nation,” said Rowdy Gaines, PHTA vice president of partnerships and development, who leads PHTA’s Step Into Swim program. “Drowning incidents have increased over the past five years, particularly in underserved communities, but it has been proven that participating in swim lessons saves lives.”
The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance believes that the bill stands a good chance of passing. To start, it enjoys bipartisan support. Introduced this session by W. Gregory Steube (R-FL), its co-sponsors include Deborah Ross (D-NC), Donald Davis (D-NC), and James Moylan (R-Guam-At Large).
“By giving Americans more freedom to make decisions with their hard-earned money, Congress can protect America’s youth while reducing costs for working families,” Steube said.
The bill was introduced early in the session, leaving a longer timeline to pass. Additionally, Steube sits on the first committee to hear the bill — Ways and Means. Advocates have prospects for a Senate sponsor, said Justin Wiley PHTA’s vice president of government relations, standards and codes.
“All those point to a good possibility,” Wiley says. “Any piece of legislation that’s introduced in any venue ... is not an easy process. It requires a lot of legwork, coalition building and support, and a little bit of luck. All that said, I think we’re in a pretty good position.”
Challenges could come as the House and Senate focus on President Donald Trump’s agenda, especially during budget season. Wiley hopes the Swim Act could get pulled into the budget package. “I’d say it’s a very, very slight opportunity, but it is an opportunity,” he said.
In late April/early May, PHTA will hold its Day on the Hill, when it meets with various legislators and staffers. This will be one of its priorities as it has certain officials’ ear, Wiley said.
In addition to PHTA, several safety advocacy groups also support the bill, PHTA said. Those interested in participating may go to SwimAct.org.
Link to full article: https://www.aquaticsintl.com/facilities/swim-act-reintroduced_o