FAMILY TRAGEDY SPURS PROPOSED LEGISLATION, DEBATE THAT WOULD HAVE OVER-REGULATED SWIM SCHOOLS IN TEXAS
The legislative challenge in the 2021 Texas Legislature was absolutely daunting. The family’s testimony before the House committee was emotional and gut wrenching. A hush fell over the committee room, as April Chang openly wept while describing the incident that every parent fears: her 3-year-old son Mitchell had drowned and later died after he was found in a pool at a San Antonio swim school in 2018. The Changs had dropped off their children – not for swim lessons – but at a “parent’s night out” event at the facility. Thus, the Mitchell Chang Swim School Safety Act (HB 3357) was introduced by State Rep. Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa). The bill would have required commercial swim schools to apply for and become licensed to operate by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). And the agency would set license, application, and renewal fees in amounts necessary to cover the costs of administering the program, potentially increasing annual operating costs by tens of thousands of dollars for each swim school location across Texas.
BY SHANNON AND MIKE MERONEY MERONEY PUBLIC AFFAIRS, LLC
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