President Bush signs into law The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act of 2007

While The Haggard Law Firm has had much success representing the families who have been effected by pool drownings and entrapments, our attorneys also strive for tightened safety rules and regulations for pools in homes, apartments and hotels. For many years now, The Haggard Law Firm has been working with Representatives in the U.S. Congress and Senate to spur changes in state codes and laws governing pool and pool pump safety. We are thrilled with the recent announcement that The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act of 2007 has been signed into law. Debbie Wasserman Schultz sponsored the bill and is a champion of pool safety laws. We are honored to have worked with her in the State Senate and U.S. Congress to finally have this bill signed into law.

The bill was named for Virginia Graeme Baker, the 7-year-old granddaughter of former Secretary of State James Baker III who drowned in 2002 when pulled underwater by a hot-tub drain. The Haggard Law Firm represented the Baker family and achieved a confidential settlement in Virginia.

The legislation provides incentives for states to adopt comprehensive pool safety laws that will protect children from life-threatening injuries and horrible deaths from dangerous pool & spa drains and pumps. Specifically, the law will:

-- Prohibit the manufacture, sale or distribution of drain covers that do not meet anti-entrapment safety standards established by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The legislation includes a directive for the CPSC to establish a safety standard for anti-entrapment drain covers. This would ensure that all drain covers and pool pumps available in the marketplace would conform to certain safety criteria.

-- Create an incentive grant program for states to adopt comprehensive pool and spa safety laws requiring certain safety devices in swimming pools and spas to protect children. The legislation would provide grants to states that pass a comprehensive swimming pool and spa safety law. The bill would require states to use funds, if awarded, to hire and train personnel for the proper enforcement of state law; and educate pool owners and operators, pool construction and installation companies, pool service companies and the public about the state law and about drowning prevention practices.

-- Establish a national drowning prevention education program within the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The bill would require the CPSC to create and administer an educational program to inform the public about ways to prevent drowning and entrapment in swimming pools and spas, and execute a national media campaign to promote awareness of pool and spa safety.

-- Require public pools to incorporate anti-entrapment drain covers and other layers of protection. The legislation would require that each public pool and spa be equipped with anti-entrapment drain covers and other layers of protection, such as safety vacuum release systems for pool pumps.