Grant's Law/Require Lifeguards at Day Camps
Senate Bill 273, titled Grant’s Law/Require Lifeguards at Day Camps, would create new safety requirements for day camps that provide aquatic activities to school-age children. The bill defines day camps, aquatic activities, and school-age children, and then requires camps offering swimming or similar water-based activities to have certified lifeguards on site. It also requires a minimum lifeguard-to-child ratio, a lifeguard chair of specified height, and a swim test in a public swimming pool before aquatic activities begin.
If a child cannot swim across the pool, the bill requires a properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket to be worn during aquatic activities. The bill also bars participation in certain higher-risk or less-controlled water settings, including hot tubs, spas, saunas, steam rooms, portable wading pools, and other unfiltered or nondisinfected water containers. The Department is directed to adopt policies to implement the new requirements, and the act would take effect June 1, 2026.
The bill would add a new section to Article 7 of Chapter 110 of the North Carolina General Statutes, creating mandatory lifeguard and water-safety standards for day camps serving school-age children. It would impose operational requirements on camps that offer aquatic activities, including staffing, equipment, swim testing, and life jacket use, and would prohibit certain types of water activities altogether. The Department would also be responsible for establishing implementation policies similar to those used for licensed summer day camps.
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes, the overall sentiment appears to be safety-oriented and protective of children. The measure is framed as a public-safety bill aimed at reducing drowning and injury risks during camp water activities. No formal opposition, amendments, or recorded controversy are available in the provided materials.
The main likely points of contention are the cost and feasibility of compliance for day camps, especially smaller programs that may need to hire additional certified lifeguards, purchase equipment, or modify activities. Camps may also object to the mandatory swim test and the prohibition on certain activities such as wading pools, spas, and other water features that some programs may use for recreation. Supporters would likely emphasize child safety, while critics may focus on administrative burden, staffing shortages, and the bill’s broad restrictions.