DeSantis Expands Free Swim Vouchers to Age 7 for Treasure Coast Kids

Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a law expanding Florida's free swimming lesson voucher program to children up to age 7, a change that advocates say could pull more Treasure Coast families back from the edge of a crisis that killed 119 Florida children in 2025 alone.

Starting July 1, low-income households in Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties with children as old as 7 — not just 4 and under — can apply for state vouchers covering swimming lesson costs. Drowning is the leading cause of death for Florida children ages one to four, and state health officials have long warned that the window of vulnerability extends well beyond toddlerhood.

DeSantis signed SB 428 without a public press conference, according to a press release issued late Tuesday evening. The bill merged two separate proposals — one from Jacksonville Republican Sen. Clay Yarborough and one from Orlando Democratic Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith — into a single bipartisan measure. In the House, Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani and Republican Rep. Kim Kendall co-sponsored the companion legislation.

"A huge win for Florida families," Smith wrote on social media after the signing.

The law carries a second provision that will reach parents even before their children take a first step near water. Beginning July 1, the Department of Health must direct hospitals, birthing centers, home birth providers, and childbirth educators to distribute evidence-based water safety materials to new parents — covering risks that start as early as bath time. New parents already receive information on sudden unexpected infant death and eye disorders at discharge; water safety joins that packet under the new requirement.

Demand for the existing voucher program has far outpaced supply. The Department of Health received 16,663 applications for swimming lesson vouchers in the 2024-2025 cycle but issued only 4,945, Senate staff analysis shows — meaning roughly seven in ten applicants went without.

State Sen. Gayle Harrell, who represents Martin and St. Lucie counties, praised the bill as a "wonderful feat in bipartisanship" on the Senate floor. Florida created its swimming voucher program in 2024; the July 1 expansion marks its first significant update.

Whether state funding will scale to meet the demand that the expanded eligibility window is likely to generate remains the central question heading into Florida's still-unresolved 2026 budget cycle.

This article was generated with AI assistance using publicly available information. It was reviewed and approved by a human editor before publication. TC Sentinel uses AI writing tools in accordance with FTC guidelines.