April 9, 2008

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Florida Bills Would Implement the Federal Pool & Spa Safety Act
The Florida Swimming Pool Association (FPSA) is actively tracking state entrapment-avoidance legislation that would implement the new federal Pool and Spa Safety Act. State Senator Nan H. Rich from south Florida introduced the Senate bill, SB 1580, and State Representative Susan Bucher, also from south Florida, introduced the House bill, HB 963. The Senate bill is working its way through the committee process. There has been no action to date on the companion House bill. The new federal law establishes mandatory federal requirements for suction entrapment avoidance and establishes a voluntary grant program for states that meet the requirements of the act.

As initially drafted, section 4 of the Florida bills would have required all pools to have either a safety vacuum release system, a suction-limiting vent system, a gravity drainage system that uses a collector tank, an automatic pump shut-off system, or a device or system that disables the drain. FSPA worked with Senator Rich to amend section 4 of the bill in order for it to be consistent with both the federal act and the recently adopted ANSI/APSP-7 Suction Entrapment Avoidance Standard, which becomes effective in Florida on October 1, 2008. This amendment was approved by the Senate Health Regulation Committee on March 19. On April 1 the Senate bill was amended to provide a December 20, 2008, effective date and was approved by the Senate Regulated Industries Committee. Next stop for SB 1580 will be the Senate Community Affairs Committee.

The companion bill, HB 963, is currently in the House Committee on Health Quality, but a hearing date has not been set.
 
For more information on this bill and other Florida legislative activities visit the FSPA website: www.floridapoolpro.com. The FSPA weekly e-newsletters are posted on the FSPA website

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