Attachment A
Resolution
RESOLUTION NO. 2026-
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF NEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA, SUPPORTING
THE ADOPTION OF HOUSE RESOLUTION 1188
(EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE WORK OF OPEN
WATER LIFEGUARDS AS FIRST RESPONDERS AND
EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROVIDERS) AND SENATE
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 192 (OPEN WATER
LIFEGUARDS)
WHEREAS, the City of Newport Beach is home to one of the nation's most active and heavily visited coastlines, where open water lifeguards provide essential public safety services to millions of residents and visitors each year; WHEREAS, open water lifeguards are highly trained emergency responders who routinely perform water rescues, emergency medical care, drowning prevention, ocean hazard mitigation, disaster response, search and rescue operations, and mutual aid assistance under hazardous and rapidly changing conditions; WHEREAS , open water lifeguards are frequently the first public safety personnel to arrive at emergencies occurring in the ocean, surf, beaches, harbor, and adjacent coastal areas, where their specialized training and rapid response save lives and protect public safety;
WHEREAS , the United States House of Representatives , through House Resolution 1188, proposes to recognize the vital role of open water lifeguards in protecting lives, responding to emergencies, and serving as integral members of the nation's public safety system, while encouraging recognition of these professionals as first responders;
WHEREAS, the California State Legislature, through Senate Concurrent Resolution 192 (or successor resolution), proposes to recognize that open water lifeguards perform essential emergency response, drowning prevention, rescue, and public safety functions and urges California public agencies to formally recognize open water lifeguards as first responders within their emergency response and mutual aid frameworks;
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the designation of open water lifeguards as first responders accurately reflects the emergency response functions they routinely perform and recognizes the critical public safety services they provide; and Resolution No. 2026-
WHEREAS , the City Council further finds that supporting House Resolution 1188 and Senate Concurrent Resolution 192 (or successor resolution) is consistent with the City's interest in promoting public safety, recognizing the professionalism of open water lifeguards, and advocating for appropriate recognition of open water lifeguards at both the federal and state levels.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Newport Beach resolves as follows:
Section 1: The City Council does hereby support the adoption of House Resolution 1188, pending before the United States House of Representatives and Senate Concurrent Resolution 192 (or successor resolution) pending before the California State Legislature, recognizing the critical public safety role of open water lifeguards as first responders and emergency response providers. The City Council urges the United States House of Representatives to adopt House Resolution 1188 and the California State Legislature to adopt Senate Concurrent Resolution 192 (or successor resolution).
Section 2: The recitals provided in this resolution are true and correct and are incorporated into the operative part of this resolution.
Section 3: If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this resolution is, for any reason, held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of the remaining portions of this resolution. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this resolution, and each section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase hereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared invalid or unconstitutiona I.
Section 4: The City Council finds the adoption of this resolution is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment , directly or indirectly.
Resolution No. 2026-
Section 5: This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the City Council, and the City Clerk shall certify the vote adopting the resolution.
ADOPTED this 18th day of August, 2026.
ATTEST:
Lena Shumway
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
A�c J(�
Aaron C. Harp
City Attorney
Lauren Kleiman
Mayor