(The Center Square) – As lawsuits mount against Camp Mystic, new camp safety measures are being implemented statewide.
The state legislature implemented reforms after a July 4 flash flood killed at least 135 people in several counties, wiping out homes and devastating the Hill Country. The greatest number of deaths were reported in Kerr County of 119, including 25 campers and two counselors at Camp Mystic in Hunt.
So far, the parents of 14 girls have filed wrongful death lawsuits against the camp, arguing their daughters would not have died had they been housed in cabins in a floodplain, been evacuated and not told to stay in their cabins, The Center Square reported. More lawsuits are expected.
The legislature held emergency hearings and advanced three bills, which Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law and became effective on Sept. 5.
“Every child who goes to camp should come home to their families, and no parent should ever have to outlive their child or endure this kind of loss,” Abbott said when signing the bills into law. The new laws will do “more than just change campgrounds in Texas, we are changing the future for our children,” he said while surrounded by Camp Mystic parents.
The parents met with Abbott and his wife, Cecilia, prior to the bills being introduced. “Their hearts were broken, their spirits crushed. They shared the beauty of their daughters’ souls,” he said of their meeting. “They dropped their daughters off at camp expecting to be able to see them again very soon. They had no clue they would never see those daughters again.”
The parents also testified in support of camp safety reform measures, urging the legislature to act with the hopes that other parents would not suffer the same losses they did, The Center Square reported.
“We cannot legislate away every danger in life, but we can insist on vigilance, preparedness, and accountability where children are entrusted to the care of others,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in support of the measures. The new laws will give parents “peace of mind and set clear expectations for camp operators – because the safety of Texas children must always come first.”
Camps throughout the state are in the process of implementing measures in order to be in compliance with spring deadlines for two of the laws, House Bill 1 (the Youth CAMPER Act), Senate Bill 1 (the Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act). State agencies are implementing procedures and local jurisdictions are required to comply with a new law, Senate Bill 3.
To comply with the Youth CAMPER Act, camps are adopting written plans with procedures to respond to emergency events including natural disasters, lost campers, fires, transportation emergencies, severe illnesses, epidemics, severe injuries, serious accidents, fatalities and other issues.
The law requires detailed plans and procedures to be submitted to local emergency agencies and the state departments of Emergency Management (TDEM) and Health Services (DSHS). DSHS will enforce compliance by conducting inspections, investigating complaints, and suspending or denying camp operating licenses, according to the new law.
The law also requires camps to train staff and volunteers, instruct campers on emergency responses, notify parents of floodplain risks with signed acknowledgments, and share emergency plans. It also authorizes the attorney general to sue noncompliant camps and impose daily civil penalties. Emergency plans are required to be submitted to the state by May 1, 2026.
Camps are also beginning to implement measures to comply with the Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act, which prohibits camps from operating cabins in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-designated floodplains, requires additional emergency planning procedures, annual training, evacuation routes, parental and legal guardian notification processes, among other measures. The law also requires DSHS to post, update and maintain on its website a list of all youth camps in the state with active licenses that are in compliance with the law. The law also extends safety standards to campgrounds and recreational vehicle parks.
State agencies and local jurisdictions are also implementing processes to comply with SB 3. It requires the Texas Water Board to identify areas where warning siren systems should be installed, among other measures. It also creates a grant program to offer financial support to cities, counties and other government entities to install early-warning sirens in flash-flood prone areas. This includes those in Flash Flood Alley, where the Hill Country is located, 27 counties and the cities of Dallas, Austin and San Antonio.
