Legislation that prohibits Texas youth camps from constructing or maintaining cabins in flood-prone areas is now awaiting Governor Greg Abbott’s approval, receiving mixed reactions from various parties.
The impending laws, House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1, aim to prevent camps across Texas from having housing within river floodplains. Furthermore, camps will be at risk of losing their state licenses if cabins remain in areas prone to flooding.
The bills also mandate that camps develop comprehensive emergency plans. Camps must post evacuation routes in every cabin, maintain well-lit pathways at all times, and ensure camp staff, including newly appointed emergency preparedness coordinators, conduct orientations on these safety procedures for campers.
Supporters of these measures include the families of 27 campers and counselors who tragically lost their lives due to the devastating floods on July 4, which severely affected central Texas and flooded Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp for girls.
“Those families have expressed that they are enduring an unimaginable suffering that they hope others never experience. They believe this is a moment for decisive action,” Democratic Texas State Rep. Ann Johnson stated in late August.
Nonetheless, some camps, such as Camp Waldemar, Vista Camps, and Camp Stewart, which are situated near the Guadalupe River, have requested Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to review certain specifics of the proposed legislation.
The new, stricter requirements for camps would force them to rebuild cabins and install new safety features, potentially putting them at financial odds, according to a letter obtained by The Texas Tribune.
Camp owners told state officials there “must be meaningful financial support, whether through insurance, state grants, or other funding mechanisms, so that the burden does not fall solely on families, camps, and communities.”
State Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, told the Tribune on Aug. 20 there would be no such funding: “No, camps are private enterprises. The state’s not rebuilding private sector camps.”
