The Pool & Hot Tub Alliance has announced its support for the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Reauthorization Act. This act was reintroduced last week in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-FL-25. H.R. H.R.
H.R. H.R. 4313 received bipartisan support from the House, and nine cosponsors include Reps. John Carter and Colin Allred of Texas (R and D), Nikema William (D and D-GA-5), Mike Flood of New England (R and D), Sylvia Garcia and Kathy Castor in Florida (D and D), Deborah Ross and Raul Grijalva and Josh Gottheimer.
The VGBA provides funding to support grants for swimming lessons, pool and spa safety, and educating communities on drowning and entrapment hazards. The law also extends eligibility for the program to Indian Tribes and nonprofit organizations. The law would allow $5 million to be used annually from 2024-2029 in jurisdictions with a minimum safety swimming pool and spa law. This includes the International Swimming Pool and Spa Code and ANSI/APSP/ICC-16 American National Standard (SOFA) Used in Pools and Spas.
The core purpose of PHTA’s is to put safety and health first in hot tub and pool environments. Sabeena Hicman, CAE is the president and CEO of PHTA. She says, “We have never wavered in our support of the reauthorization VGBA because we recognize its impact on saving life.” “PHTA is honored to have played a part in the VGBA by developing two industry standards that set stringent requirements for suction outlets fitting assemblies and the prevention of suction entrapment. Reauthorizing this law will help reduce drownings to a significant degree, a cause which deserves widespread support.
Drowning is the number one cause of accidental death in children aged between 1 and 4 years old. PHTA supports VGBA reauthorization to prevent drownings or near-drownings at pools and spas. This includes increasing layers of protection and extending eligibility for grant programs.
PHTA members, industry representatives and other supporters are encouraged to help reauthorize the VGBA by contacting their congressional representatives and expressing support for H.R. 4313.
Contact Justin Wiley, PHTA Vice President of Government Relations, Standards and Codes, for more information at [email protected].
