Mar 5, 2008 7:00 pm US/Central
Bill Inspired By MN Girl's Pool Injury Advances
ST. PAUL (AP) ―
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A bill calling for the retrofitting of public pools with safer equipment and daily inspections of drain covers has cleared a Senate committee. Congress has taken similar action.
CBS
Swimming pools at apartment complexes, health clubs and city parks would be subject to tougher design and inspection standards under state legislation prompted by an Edina girl's serious injuries last summer from a faulty drain cover.
The Minnesota Senate's Health, Housing and Family Security Committee endorsed the bill Wednesday after hearing from the father of Abigail Taylor. The young girl has undergone multiple surgeries and remains hospitalized after having part of her intestinal tract torn out by a drain's powerful suction in a wading pool at the Minneapolis Golf Club.
Scott Taylor said he promised his daughter he would fight for changes at public pools, and he has already seen Congress respond with a federal law banning the manufacture, sale or distribution of drain covers that don't meet anti-entrapment safety standards.
The Minnesota bill would go a step further, demanding that public pools be retrofitted with state-of-the-art suction outlets and requiring frequent inspections for loose drain covers.
Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina, said he can't see why pool operators would resist adding the extra inspections to their daily routine.
"It's at least as important to check the drain as it is to check the chemicals on a daily basis," he said.
Some lawmakers expressed concerns about the cost of upgrading pools to meet the equipment standard. A Department of Health official estimated it would cost from $1,000 to $5,000 per pool.
Scott Taylor said the debate shouldn't come down to dollars and cents.
"You could retrofit a lot of pools for the amount of money that's already been spent on Abigail's medical bills," Taylor said.
The bill passed without major opposition and now moves to the Senate Finance Committee. A companion House bill hasn't received a hearing yet.
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Abbey's Hope Charitable Foundation, named for Abigail, was started to safeguard kids, both in and out of the pool, against preventable harm.
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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