---
title: O.C.G.A. § 20-2-779.4. Water safety education; notifications to parents and guardians; exclusions.
collection: code
id: 20-2-779.4
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 20-2-779.4 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/20-2-779.4
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/20-2-779.4.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/20-2-779.4/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t20-ch1-2b-(v17)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=bfd7f2d1_0#page=256
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: EDUCATION / ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION / STUDENTS / HEALTH
---

# O.C.G.A. § 20-2-779.4. Water safety education; notifications to parents and guardians; exclusions.

(a) As used in this Code section, the term “water safety education” means education intended to promote safety in, on, and around bodies of water and reduce the risk of injury or drowning.

(b) At the beginning of each school year, each public school or local school system shall provide the parents and guardians of each child enrolled in such school or school system with information on the important role water safety education courses and swimming lessons play in saving lives. Such information shall be provided in electronic or hard copy format. Such information shall include options, if available within the vicinity of the public school or local school system, for age-appropriate water safety education courses and swimming lessons that can result in a certificate indicating successful completion, including courses and lessons offered for free or at a reduced price; provided, however, that such information shall be provided directly to students who are 18 years of age or older.

(c) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to require public schools or local school systems to:

(1) Provide water safety education courses or swimming lessons to students; or

(2) Excuse students from all or part of any school day to attend water safety education courses or swimming lessons.

## History

Code 1981, § 20-2-779.4, enacted by Ga. L. 2023, p. 632, § 2/HB 402, effective July 1, 2023.

## Code Commission Notes

Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 2023, Code Section 20-2-779.3, as enacted by Ga. L. 2023, p. 632, § 2/HB 402, was redesignated as Code Section 20-2-779.4.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2023, p. 632, § 1/HB 402, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: “This Act shall be known and may be cited as the ‘Edna Mae McGovern Act.’”

## Effective Date

This Code section became effective July 1, 2023.