Texas governor signs camp-safety bills

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed several pieces of legislation Friday that will overhaul safety at youth camps in the state, including requiring camp operators to install emergency warning systems and train staff on evacuation procedures.

The new laws follow the July 4 flash flooding in the Texas Hill Country, especially along the Guadalupe River, which resulted in more than 100 deaths, including 27 campers and counselors at Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp in Kerr County.

H.B. 1, the Youth Camp Alert, Mitigation, Preparedness, and Emergency Response (Youth CAMPER) Act, requires youth camps to adopt emergency plans, train staff, orient campers, notify parents of floodplain risks and get signed acknowledgment and share plans with local emergency services. Camps will need to renew operating licenses annually.

S.B. 1, the Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act, prohibits the licensing of youth camps with cabins in Federal Emergency Management Agency-designated floodplains. It also requires annual emergency training and planning, including that cabins post evacuation routes and are equipped with ladders for rooftop access. Camp operators will also be required to monitor safety alerts from the National Weather Service.

S.B. 3 creates a grant program to provide financial support to cities, counties and other government entities for the installation of early-warning sirens in areas prone to flash flooding.