After Camp Mystic flooding, Texas legislature passes bills to better protect youth camps

The Texas legislature passed several pieces of legislation this week aimed at strengthening protections for young campers after devastating floods last month left more than two dozen campers and counselors dead at Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp.

SB 1, renamed Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act, in honor of the 27 victims, would restrict the state from licensing youth camps where cabins are located in floodplains, unless the floodplain is around a lake or another still body of water.

The bill, which passed unanimously on Thursday, would also require camp operators to make preparations to evacuate campers in floodplains any time the National Weather Service issues flood or flash flood warnings, with evacuation routes clearly displayed in all camp cabins.

The move comes in response to a catastrophic flooding in Central Texas over the last July 4 weekend, when heavy rains caused the Guadalupe River to rise by more than 26 feet in what’s known as “flash flood alley,” leaving at least 138 people dead. There were reports that residents did not receive emergency alerts or evacuation orders in time, causing families to question local and state officials over the promptness of warning systems in the flood-prone area and demand answers.

Gov. Greg Abbott praised the legislature for passing the camp safety bills.

“These families asked for critical camp safety legislation, and the bills passed this week by the House and Senate will ensure that no parent has to fear sending their child to a camp in Texas. I applaud Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Speaker Dustin Burrows, and the Texas Legislature for making this legislation a priority. I look forward to signing the bill into law,” Abbott said in a statement Thursday.

State senators also passed SB3, which tasks the state with determining which of the areas that flooded on July 4 should be required to have outdoor warning sirens, and establish guidance on how to install, maintain and operate them. A House committee approved the legislation on Friday.

The Texas House of Representatives also passed legislation aimed at strengthening safety measures for young campers.

HB 1 would require overnight kids’ camp operators to develop emergency plans — including when to shelter and evacuate — submit them to the state and teach the plans to campers. Operators would also be required to tell parents if any part of a camp was in a floodplain. The state would not be allowed to license youth camps with cabins in 100-year floodplains. The bill has not yet been introduced in the Senate.