ASSEMBLY, No. 888

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 1996 SESSION

By Assemblyman GARRETT

An Act concerning swimming in State parks and forests, and supplementing P.L.1983, c.324 (C.13:1L-1 et seq.) and chapter 2 of Title 59 of the New Jersey Statutes.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. The Department of Environmental Protection shall allow swimming in a bathing facility or area designated for swimming in a State park or forest even if a lifeguard is not on duty, during the hours that the State park or forest is open to the public, and shall provide signs which shall be conspicuously posted in each such facility or area. The signs shall state in substance that any person swimming in that facility or area when a lifeguard is not on duty does so at the person's own risk.

    2. For those times that a lifeguard is not on duty in a bathing facility or area designated for swimming in a State park or forest during the hours that the State park or forest is open to the public, neither a public entity nor a public employee shall be liable for failure to provide lifeguard service.

    3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill requires the Department of Environmental Protection to allow swimming in a State park or forest even if a lifeguard is not on duty, during the hours that the State park or forest is open to the public.

Allows swimming in parks and forests without a lifeguard.