CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Two measures aimed at saving lives on our local beaches have cleared the state legislature and are now on their way to the Governor's desk for his signature.
The legislation authored by State Representative Todd Hunter of District 32 is in honor of Je'Sani Smith. Smith was a King High School student who died two years ago after getting caught in a powerful rip current.
As folks packed our local beaches this Memorial Day weekend, lawmakers worked to ensure their fun in the sun is a little safer.
House Bill 3807, also known as the Je'Sani Smith Act, requires the addition of signage and lifeguards to improve the safety of public beaches.
It instructs cities, counties, as well as Texas Parks and Wildlife to provide occupied lifeguard towers or mobile lifeguard units on each side of each pier, jetty, or other structure that extends into the Gulf of Mexico.
The requirement would go from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Kiwana Denson has been working with Hunter to get the legislation passed.
"As a citizens of Corpus Christi and someone who has lost a family relative to a rip current, it's profound for all of us in the coastal community," said Denson during an interview back in April.
Denson's son Je'Sani Smith was swept out by a rip current in April of 2019.
The teen's death prompted Denson to become an advocate to help educate and protect other families from going through the same pain of losing a loved one to a rip current.
Most recently, another tragedy along our coastline occurred last week when the body of missing swimmer 18-year old Andrew Bass was recovered.
Bass disappeared along the north jetty when the tides pulled him out.
A second piece of legislation that was also passed is House Concurrent Resolution 46. It designates April as beach safety and rip current awareness month and calls for a public awareness campaign focused on beach safety.
Todd Hunter released this statement saying in part quote, "greater public awareness, along with more lifeguards and more signs, will make a big difference in helping Texans and visitors from other states stay safe on our beaches."
For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.
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