Sponsors
The bill improves swimmer safety and preserves public access by allowing and reimbursing local lifeguards to fill federal staffing gaps, but it raises federal costs, adds administrative work for local agencies, and could produce disputes that delay coverage.
Parents, families, and children visiting federal parks and refuges keep lifeguard coverage at designated swim locations during federal staffing shortfalls, improving swimmer safety and reducing drowning risk.
Local governments that provide lifeguards are reimbursed for all reasonable costs, reducing their fiscal burden for supplying emergency services on federal lands.
Visitors retain access to seasonal swimming areas and related recreational infrastructure during federal lifeguard shortages because local lifeguards can be authorized to staff hours.
Disputes or unclear definitions about what counts as a "reasonable cost" or whether a staffing shortage qualifies could delay lifeguard coverage or reimbursements, risking gaps in safety for visitors.
Federal taxpayers may face higher costs because the Interior Department must reimburse local agencies for all reasonable lifeguard-related expenses, including amended existing agreements.
Local agencies could incur additional administrative burden negotiating, documenting, and certifying new or amended agreements to obtain reimbursements.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires the Interior Secretary to arrange reimbursed agreements with local governments to provide lifeguards at designated swim sites on Interior-managed lands when staffing shortages would leave them unmonitored.
Requires the Interior Department to arrange agreements with one or more local government agencies to provide local-government-employed lifeguards at designated swim locations on lands and waters managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, or Bureau of Reclamation when a staffing shortage would likely leave those sites unmonitored during normal seasonal hours. Agreements must allow lifeguards to provide rescue and first aid, staff normal seasonal hours, and must reimburse the local agency for all reasonable costs; existing agreements must be amended as needed to ensure full reimbursement. Short-term absences like annual or sick leave are excluded from the definition of staffing shortage.
Introduced August 29, 2025 by Jennifer Kiggans · Last progress August 29, 2025