Pool and Spa Safety Act Passes Commerce Committee

Release Date: 2007-07-22
Original Link: http://presszoom.com/story_137462.html
Source: CST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation today passed the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (S. 1771) to prevent drowning and entrapment deaths and injuries in swimming pools and spas. The bill is cosponsored by Committee Vice Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Senator Mark Pryor (D-Ark.). The legislation specifically requires all manufacturers of pool and spa drains to produce and distribute only anti-entrapment drain covers that comply with the current national performance standard.




(PressZoom.com) - WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation today passed the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (S. 1771) to prevent drowning and entrapment deaths and injuries in swimming pools and spas. The bill is cosponsored by Committee Vice Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and Senator Mark Pryor (D-Ark.). The legislation specifically requires all manufacturers of pool and spa drains to produce and distribute only anti-entrapment drain covers that comply with the current national performance standard.

“Each year, thousands of individuals drown and thousands more require hospital treatment due to submersion injuries,” said Senator Stevens. “This legislation is designed to lessen the likelihood that anyone, particularly a child, will become trapped and drown.”

The legislation will create a grant program to encourage states to pass comprehensive pool and spa safety legislation. The program will be funded at $2 million per year for fiscal year 2009 and 2010. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) would administer the grants, and set minimum qualification standards. This measure would also authorize $5 million per year from 2008 through 2012 for the CPSC to engage in a nationwide education campaign on methods to prevent drowning and entrapment in pools and spas.


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