Florida Senate - 2026                                     SB 428
       
       
        
       By Senator Yarborough
       
       
       
       
       
       4-00451-26                                             2026428__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Swimming Lesson Voucher
    3         Program; amending s. 514.073, F.S.; revising the age
    4         requirements for children receiving a voucher through
    5         the Swimming Lesson Voucher Program; providing an
    6         effective date.
    7          
    8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    9  
   10         Section 1. Subsection (1) and paragraph (b) of subsection
   11  (2) of section 514.073, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   12         514.073 Swimming Lesson Voucher Program.—
   13         (1) There is created within the department the Swimming
   14  Lesson Voucher Program. The purpose of the program is to
   15  increase water safety in this state by offering vouchers for
   16  swimming lessons at no cost to families with an income of no
   17  more than 200 percent of the federal poverty level who have one
   18  or more children between 1 and 7 4 years of age or younger.
   19         (2) The department shall do all of the following to
   20  implement the program:
   21         (b) Establish a method for members of the public to apply
   22  for swimming lesson vouchers and for determining an applicant’s
   23  eligibility. The department shall establish eligibility criteria
   24  necessary for a family to receive one or more vouchers from the
   25  program, including, but not limited to, the following:
   26         1. The age of each child for whom a voucher is being
   27  sought, who must be between 1 and 7 may be no more than 4 years
   28  of age.
   29         2. The family income level, which may be up to 200 percent
   30  of the federal poverty level.
   31         3. The family’s address of residency in this state.
   32         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.