The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee has advanced a bill designed to revise Florida’s swim lesson voucher program.

The program currently covers kids ages 0 to 4. The bill (SB 428) would change eligibility for the vouchers to children ages 1 to 7.

The program, which covers the cost of swim lessons, has been wildly popular since legislation was enacted in 2024. But the SB 428 sponsor, Jacksonville Republican Sen. Clay Yarborough, said the current age range is too limiting.

He noted that babies under 1 years old aren’t really learning how to swim, but are only reacting instinctively to keep their heads above water. Meanwhile, children heading into elementary school are missing out on help in paying for swim lessons.

Will Moffett, a 15-year-old swim instructor at the West Augustine Kids Safe Zone, where he teaches young kids how to handle water activities, said the revisions to the swim lesson voucher program are overdue.

“I believe that including elementary school children in the swim voucher program is critically important to reducing Florida’s high drowning death rates,” Moffett said as he addressed the Committee.

Florida had the most child drownings in the U.S. in 2025, with 119.

Moffett said a more inclusive approach to the swim voucher program could radically reduce that number. He said when he started instructing swim lessons three years ago, the Kids Safe Zone had 25 children wanting to learn how to swim with only two instructors, and they couldn’t handle the demand.

He added that many elementary school students he dealt with in other athletic activities were “terrified to enter the pool” before taking part in the lifesaving lessons.

“Watching a child go from fear of the water to confidence in enjoying the pool is incredibly powerful,” Moffett said.

The Committee unanimously supported the bill, which next heads to the Senate floor for consideration.

A similar bill (HB 85) in the House is also ready for the floor.

The post Senate Committee makes splash by backing swim voucher program revisions appeared first on Florida Politics – Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government..