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AB 1639: California Drowning Prevention and Rescue Act.

California · Assembly · 2025–2026 Regular Session · last verified April 16, 2026

What AB 1639 does, verified April 16, 2026

This bill aims to improve drowning prevention and rescue efforts in California. It requires lifeguards, firefighters, and peace officers to be trained in administering first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), including both ventilation and chest compressions. The bill also requires public safety agencies to provide pre-arrival medical instructions to 911 callers requiring medical assistance, including CPR instructions for children and adults. The bill clarifies that CPR instructions should include both ventilation and chest compressions for drowning victims. It also requires the state to review and update its public communications efforts to educate everyone about the importance of CPR knowledge and how to obtain CPR training. Additionally, the bill requires the emergency medical services authority to submit reports on California's lifeguard workforce to better understand and…

Bill journey

1IntroducedCurrent

2In CommitteePending

3First Chamber FloorPending

4Second ChamberPending

5GovernorPending

6ChapteredPending

Last action: In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. (2026-04-13)Alert me

Author and sponsors

Asm. Laurie DaviesAuthor · California State Assembly

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Recent actions7 total · showing 5

Apr. 13, 2026	In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
Apr. 07, 2026	Re-referred to Com. on E.M.
Apr. 06, 2026	From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on E.M. Read second time and amended.
Mar. 25, 2026	From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on E.M with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (March 24). Re-referred to Com. on E.M.
Feb. 09, 2026	Referred to Coms. on HEALTH and E.M.

Full action history, 2 earlier actionsConnect Plus

Latest bill textAmended version, April 6, 2026 · 2,464 words

Amended IN Assembly April 06, 2026

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1639

Introduced by Assembly Member Davies

January 26, 2026

An act to amend Section 1797.161 of, and to add Sections 1797.162 and 131054 to, the Health and Safety Code, relating to health.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1639, as amended, Davies. California Drowning Prevention and Rescue Act.

Existing law requires specified lifeguards, firefighters, and peace officers to be trained to administer first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and requires the training to meet standards prescribed by the Emergency Medical Services Authority. Existing law requires, by January 1, 2027, a public safety agency that provides “911” call processing services for emergency medical response to provide prearrival medical instructions to “911” callers requiring medical assistance, including, among other things, CPR instructions for children and children and adults. Existing law also requires persons providing aquatic instruction at a public swimming pool to possess current certificates from an American Red Cross or a YMCA of the USA lifeguard training program, or have equivalent qualifications, as determined by the State Department of Public Health, and requires lifeguard service, as defined, to be provided for any public swimming pool that is of wholly artificial construction and for the use of which a direct fee is charged.

This bill would clarify that CPR instructions, for purposes of the above-described “911” provision, also include CPR instruction in both ventilation and chest compressions for calls that involve a drowning victim. The bill would require the State Department of Public Health, in coordination with other specified state entities, to review and update the state’s public communications efforts to ensure everyone in California is educated about the importance of CPR knowledge and how to obtain CPR training.

This bill would also require the Emergency Medical Services Authority to, on or before June 30, 2028, and biennially thereafter, submit a report to the Commission on Emergency Medical Services and the Legislature on California’s lifeguard workforce, as prescribed, to better ~~understand, track,~~ understand and report on California’s lifeguard workforce. The bill would authorize the Emergency Medical Services Authority to, upon appropriation by the Legislature, utilize specified funds provided for these purposes in the “Have a Heart, Be a Star, Help Our Kids” license plate program, and would make this provision operative only if Assembly Bill 1634 of the 2025–26 Regular Session is enacted and takes effect on or before January 1, 2027.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: NO

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the California Drowning Prevention and Rescue Act.

SEC. 2.

Section 1797.161 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

1797.161.

(a) By January 1, 2027, a public safety agency that provides “911” call processing services for emergency medical response shall provide prearrival medical instructions to “911” callers requiring medical assistance, including, at a minimum, all of the following:

(1) Airway and choking medical instructions for infants, children, and adults.

(2) Automatic external defibrillator (AED) and CPR instructions for children and adults, including, but not limited to, CPR instruction in both ventilation and chest compressions for calls that involve a drowning victim.

(3) Childbirth.

(4) Bleeding control and hemorrhage.

(5) Administration of epinephrine by auto-injector for suspected anaphylaxis.

(6) Administration of naloxone for suspected narcotics overdoses.

(b) A public safety agency may satisfy the requirements of subdivision (a) by contracting with another public safety agency that provides prearrival medical instructions.

(c) Prearrival medical instructions developed pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b) shall be approved by the local EMS agency medical director pursuant to subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 1797.223 and implemented consistent with the medical protocols and procedures adopted by the public safety agency.

(d) This section does not require a public safety agency to update its policies and procedures if the public safety agency already provides prearrival medical instructions through emergency medical dispatch or other means and those instructions have been approved by the local EMS agency medical director.

(e) A public safety agency dispatching peace officers to the scene of an emergency shall not constitute call processing services for emergency medical response for purposes of this section, even though the peace officers may administer first aid and CPR pursuant to Section 1797.183.

(f) This section shall not be construed to alter, modify, abridge, diminish, enlarge, or constrain the authority’s ability to adopt guidelines or regulations for emergency medical dispatch, including dispatcher training, under existing law, including, but not limited to, Sections 1797.103 and 1797.107.

(g) This section does not supersede Section 1797.201, 1797.223, 1798.6, or 1798.8, or Section 53110 of the Government Code.

SEC. 3.Section 1797.162 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:
1797.162.
(a)(1)The Emergency Medical Services Authority shall, on or before June 30, 2028, and biennially thereafter, submit a report to the Commission on Emergency Medical Services and the Legislature on California’s lifeguard workforce, in both the public and private sectors, to better understand, track, and report on California’s lifeguard workforce.
~~(2)A report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.~~
~~(b)The goals of the report include all of the following:~~
~~(1)Begin the process of the development of a state lifeguard plan with the goal to bring uniformity and a recognized professionalism and value to lifeguards in California.~~
(2)Bring California’s lifeguard workforce up to the level of development, personnel oversight, reporting of personnel characteristics, and appropriate discipline framework that acknowledges the lifesaving importance of this water safety and drowning prevention workforce.
(3)Elevate the value of the lifeguard workforce needed to maintain the level of the lifeguard workforce to help California achieve its water safety and drowning prevention goals of where drowning is a rare occurrence rather than a common occurrence and when a drowning incident occurs, the victim has the best chance of a full recovery.
~~(c)The report shall include all of the following information:~~
~~(1)The number of certified lifeguards in California.~~
~~(2)The lifeguard certification levels within California’s lifeguard workforce.~~
(3)Where lifeguards work regarding the settings they work in or are stationed at, and what percentage of lifeguards work at ocean beaches, lakes, rivers, or public or private pools, or are stationed at or embedded in fire departments or other emergency services entities.
~~(4)How lifeguards are trained and what level of training is required for the various types of settings lifeguards work in.~~
~~(5)The recertification requirements for lifeguards.~~
~~(6)The average pay range and benefits provided for the several types and levels of lifeguards.~~
~~(7)The genders, ethnicities, and ages of California’s lifeguards.~~
~~(8)The types of entities that manage or oversee California’s various lifeguards.~~
~~(9)The types of entities that provide certification or licensing training for lifeguards.~~
~~(10)The oversight, review, approval, and audits of the training entities training lifeguards in California.~~
~~(11)The disciplinary oversight for California’s lifeguard workforce for breadth of duty, certification responsibilities, and illegal activities while on duty or off duty.~~
~~(12)The number of lifeguards who have lost their certifications as disciplinary action for an offense.~~
~~(d)The initial report shall also include information on all of the following:~~
~~(1)How California’s lifeguards fit into California’s emergency medical services system.~~
~~(2)Whether there is a relationship between the authority or the local EMS agencies and California’s Lifeguard workforce.~~
(3)Suggestions on what would need to take place to integrate California’s lifeguards workforce, training, and discipline system into California’s emergency medical services system as a means to help improve the uniformity and strength of our state’s lifeguard workforce, including recommendations on how the lifeguard workforce and training programs could be supported by the authority, such as the authority advancing California’s Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT), Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians (AEMT), paramedics, community paramedics, and other components of our emergency medical services and workforce.

SEC. 3.

Section 1797.162 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

1797.162.
(a) (1) The Emergency Medical Services Authority shall, on or before June 30, 2028, and biennially thereafter, submit a report to the Commission on Emergency Medical Services and the Legislature on California’s lifeguard workforce, in both the public and private sectors, to better understand and report on California’s lifeguard workforce.
(2) A report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(b) The goal of the report is to bring awareness and a better understanding of all of the following:
(1) The importance of the lifeguard first responder workforce in California.
(2) How lifeguards are trained and certified, including the various categories or levels of certification, where training takes place, and how training is paid for.
(3) Where lifeguards are employed across the state, what types of water venues or settings lifeguards are required to be present for the venue to be open.
(c) The report shall include all of the following information:
(1) The roles lifeguards carry out in the various places where they are stationed in California.
(2) The types of training programs that are available in California, the different types of training organizations, and where training is conducted, including whether there are training programs available in all 58 counties and the challenges for lifeguard trainers and suggested solutions to the identified challenges.
(3) The various employers of lifeguards in California.
(4) The estimated numbers of distinct types or levels of certified lifeguards at work in California, including a summary of information from lifeguard employers as to whether there are barriers and challenges regarding collecting lifeguard workforce numbers and types.
(5) A summary of information from various fire departments with embedded lifeguards, lifeguard training organizations, and employer associations of lifeguards, including public pools, park and recreation districts, YMCAs, private swim schools, fitness clubs, private clubs with pools, entities providing lifeguards to work in open bodies of water settings, including ocean fronts, lakes, and rivers, regarding all of the following:
(A) Having enough certified lifeguards available to address these employers’ needs.
(B) The impact of seasonal work on the lifeguard workforce.
(C) How liability issues are addressed regarding lifeguard workforce, including insurance issues, other ways of addressing liability, and California’s Good Samaritan law under Section 1799.102 of the Health and Safety Code.
(D) General recommendations and suggested solutions to lifeguard workforce challenges.
(E) Whether the state has a role in overseeing California’s lifeguards, and, if there is a role, what role would that be and what would be the purpose of that role.

SEC. 3.5.

Section 1797.162 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

SEC. 4.

Section 131054 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

131054.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), as provided appropriately per CPR training, immediately for drowning, heart attack, electrocution, drug overdose, or traumatic injury victims is critical to achieving the most optimal outcome for victims, with CPR for drowning involving both chest compressions and emergency breathing or ventilation.

(b) (1) The State Department of Public Health shall, in coordination with other California health and emergency services and education entities, review and update the state’s public communications efforts to ensure everyone in California is educated about the importance of CPR knowledge and how to obtain CPR training.

(2) The goal of the public communications efforts specified in paragraph (1) is to raise, by 2030, California’s knowledge of CPR from the current estimated rate of 50 percent of the adult population with knowledge about CPR and 40 percent of the adult population percent being trained in how to administer CPR, to 80 percent with knowledge about CPR and 75 percent being trained in how to administer CPR.

SEC. 5.
Section 3.5 of this bill, adding Section 1797.162 of the Health and Safety Code, shall only become operative if Assembly Bill 1634 of the 2025–26 Regular Session is enacted and becomes effective on or before January 1, 2027, in which case Section 3 of this bill shall not become operative.

Text of AB 1639 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions