Schwarzenegger's Clueless Veto Message

To the Members of the California State Senate:

I am returning SB 1493 without my signature.

This bill undermines local health officers' ability to enforce the Public Swimming Pool Safety Act (Act) by restricting their authority to determine whether or not a facility is a public swimming pool. This measure preempts local control by exempting all geothermal pools that meet specific standards from health and safety protections governing public swimming pools.

To ensure the health and safety of these facilities Department of Health Services administers regulations that require public pool operators to maintain proper disinfectant levels to prevent water-related illnesses, to have specific circulation and filtration requirements, and to post safety signage.

Circumventing local health officer control by exempting pools that receive water from geothermal sources would put those who use the pool, as well as the general public, at risk.

For these reasons, I am unable to sign this measure.

Sincerely,

Arnold Schwarzenegger.