Georgia CommonsHouse · Engrossed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 471: Health; licensed general hospitals and birthing centers make available a water safety education video to parents or guardians of newborn infants; require
Last action March 19, 2026 · Senate Committee Favorably Reported
House Bill 471 would require Georgia hospitals and birthing centers to show new parents a water safety video before their newborn is discharged, using a form developed by the state.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Comm Sub version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Currently, Georgia hospitals and birthing centers are not required to provide water safety information to new parents. House Bill 471 would change that by adding a new section to Georgia's hospital regulation law (O.C.G.A. § 31-7-24). It would require licensed general hospitals and birthing centers to show parents or guardians of newborn infants a water safety education video onsite before the baby is discharged. The bill also requires these facilities to give parents a water safety education form, which the Department of Community Health would develop. The bill directs the department to write rules and regulations to carry out these requirements, and it borrows the definition of 'water safety education' from an existing section of Georgia's education code (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-779.4).
What the bill does
- Requires licensed general hospitals and birthing centers to show new parents or guardians a water safety education video onsite before their newborn is discharged.
- Requires those facilities to hand parents a water safety education form that the Department of Community Health must develop.
- Directs the Department of Community Health to create rules and regulations to implement the video and form requirements.
- Defines 'water safety education' by pointing to the meaning already used in Georgia's school water safety law (O.C.G.A. § 20-2-779.4).
Who it affects
Parents and guardians of newborn infants in Georgia, and the licensed general hospitals and birthing centers that must show the video and provide the form. The Department of Community Health is also affected, since it must create the form and write implementing rules.
Why it matters
New parents leaving the hospital would receive standardized water safety information before taking their newborn home, something not currently required. Hospitals and birthing centers would face a new operational step, and the state health department would take on responsibility for developing the required materials.
Key provisions
- Adds new Code Section 31-7-24 to Georgia's hospital regulation law (Title 31, Chapter 7, Article 1).
- Subsection (a) defines 'water safety education' by referencing the definition already used in O.C.G.A. § 20-2-779.4.
- Subsection (b)(1) requires hospitals and birthing centers to make a water safety video available for onsite viewing before a newborn's discharge.
- Subsection (b)(2) requires the facility to give the parent or guardian a water safety education form developed by the Department of Community Health.
- Subsection (c) directs the department to promulgate rules and regulations needed to implement the section.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws, a standard closing provision.
From the bill
“Prior to discharge, a licensed general hospital or birthing center shall make available to each newborn infant's parent or guardian a video presentation on water safety education to be viewed onsite.”
“Such hospital and birthing center shall provide such parent or guardian with a water safety education form to be developed by the department.”
Discussed in meetings (5)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
Senate Health and Human Services Committee, March 18, 2026
From 0:25:39 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 471 would provide water safety video education before newborn discharge, at no state cost, with Department of Public Health oversight and Every Child a Swimmer assistance. The sponsor said the Georgia Hospital Association supported it and drowning was the leading accidental cause of death for children ages one through four. An Every Child a Swimmer witness described losing a toddler to drowning and said a six-minute video would explain supervision, layers of protection, shallow-water risks and early swim lessons. One member questioned whether exhausted new parents would retain the information and suggested pediatric visits instead. The witness described hospital education as one of several opportunities and suggested later reminders. Another member proposed online viewing; the witness questioned delivery and follow-through, while the sponsor said parents could decline the video. A second witness reported 868 Georgia drowning deaths during 2019–2023 and a $2 billion impact in 2020, later clarifying that the deaths included adults and children. Asked about costs, the sponsor and foundation witness said the foundation would help with the video and paperwork. The committee approved the substitute unanimously.
Senate Rules Committee, March 19, 2026
From 0:47:38 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor described the bill as hospital-based water safety education and said it had passed the Senate health committee unanimously the previous night. The chair stopped the presentation, explaining that the bill still needed its second reading before becoming eligible for Rules consideration. The chair suggested it might be considered Monday but made no scheduling commitment.
Senate Rules Committee, March 23, 2026
From 0:15:10 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 471 would provide water safety education to mothers of newborns. The sponsor said the Hospital Association agreed with the measure, that it would carry no charge and that drowning was the leading cause of death for children ages one to four. No substantive questions or vote followed.
Senate Rules Committee, March 30, 2026
From 2:39:45 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: A member nominated HB 471 for the final calendar slot. Speakers described it as providing water-safety information to new mothers in hospitals, but gave no detailed explanation. The chair recorded three supporters during the informal vote. It was not selected for the final calendar.
Status timeline
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- Senate Recommitted (Senate)
- Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
- Senate Tabled (Senate)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
Show full history (13 actions)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Mike Cheokas (R, HD-151)
- Matt Dubnik (R, HD-29)
- Gerald Greene (R, HD-154)
- Lee Hawkins (R, HD-27)
- Carter Barrett (R, HD-24)
- Matthew Gambill (R, HD-15)
- Shawn Still (R, SD-48)
Votes
- House voteMarch 6, 2025
169 yea, 0 nay (4 not voting, 7 excused)
Topics
- water safety
- newborn care
- hospital regulations
- public health education