Water Safety Bill Prompted by Bethel Park Teacher’s Passing Clears Legislature, Mihalek Says

October 22, 2026

HARRISBURG - Furthering an effort that began with the 2022 death of a beloved Bethel Park teacher, Rep. Natalie Mihalek (R-Allegheny/Washington) today announced the passage of a recreational water safety bill by the General Assembly.

"Four years ago, I set out to make certain swimmers, kayakers and boaters have fair warning about low head dams because of the safety risks they create. With drop offs as high as 25 feet, they are often invisible to those recreating on Pennsylvania waterways, giving them the well-earned nickname of drowning machines," Mihalek said. "Despite Pennsylvania having 2,000 of these dams, and experiencing more deaths related to them than any other state, many of these dams are unmarked."

House Bill 961 charges the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection with creating and maintaining a publicly available list of existing low head dams. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will then be making certain that low head dams are appropriately marked with signs and buoys.

Mihalek began researching low head dams after Bethel Park High School History Teacher Jon Gentile, an experienced kayaker, lost his life after going over a low head dam on the Delaware River and becoming entrapped in the tailwaters for roughly 15 minutes.

"I can think of no better way to honor the memory of this community hero than to give his fellow kayakers proper notification of the dams," said Mihalek. "Pennsylvania's waterways draws tens of thousands of swimmers, boaters and fishermen and women every year. Once enacted, this bill will save lives and help Pennsylvania families avoid the same agonizing loss that still haunts the Gentile family and the Bethel Park community at large."

House Bill 961 was passed with no opposition in both the House and Senate and will now be reviewed by Gov. Josh Shapiro.

Representative Natalie Mihalek
40th Legislative District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jordan Frei
724-875-8450
[email protected]