Following the tragic loss of life during the Hill Country floods last July, state lawmakers passed two measures in an attempt to strengthen camp safety requirements. The laws were promoted as an attempt to mitigate similar catastrophes in the future, to give parents assurance for the safety of their children.
“That instinct is understandable and human,” wrote Texas Policy Research in an analysis of the laws. “Parents want certainty. Lawmakers want solutions.”
During the 89th Legislature’s second special session, lawmakers passed House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1, which both set up new requirements for camps to help mitigate safety risks in the case of natural disasters.
Texas camp directors say the new rules will be impossible to meet by the deadline imposed and will require so much capital that they could be forced to close their doors.
As of last fall, camp directors across Texas were informed that their licenses were no longer valid and they must come into compliance with the upcoming rules being drafted by the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) for their license to be re-issued.
One of these requirements—having both fiber-optic and broadband internet service—has raised concerns for many camps across the state.
Ed Walker, president of the Texas section of the Christian Camp & Conference Association and director at Mt. Lebanon Camp, told Texas Scorecard that the fiber-optic internet requirement is one thing that camps will struggle to implement in time for summer.
According to the law, all camps are required to maintain two internet connections. One connection must be fiber-optic, and the second must be a completely separate broadband service.
Camp directors have raised concerns that fiber-optic internet access is often not readily available due to some of their more remote locations. Estimates between $75,000 to $1.5 million have been provided to camps for fiber-optic installation.
The installation timeline is also a concern, as the fiber-optic cables must be in place within a certain timeframe determined by DSHS for camps to receive the licensing needed to operate this summer.
“It’s not a left or right issue,” said Walker. “It’s going to affect camps of all kinds and political parties.”
The legislation also requires that camps submit a full written plan on procedures for multiple types of natural disasters annually to the DSHS for approval.
The DSHS commissioner, along with the Texas Division of Emergency Management, will set the guidelines for the required information in the emergency plans, the minimum training hours required of camp staff, how the plan will be submitted, and how to determine if a plan meets the minimum requirements that are laid out by the department.
Lawmakers also directed $2 million to state agencies for the implementation of these new requirements, but expect the funding to be paid back.
Camp directors say this is now causing a rise in the licensing fees.
While they say the licensing fee has always been about $400 in the past, camp directors told Texas Scorecard they were informed late last fall that this will also be raised in order to pay back the $2 million and fund the additional personnel needed to institute the new safety measures.
Fees are now estimated to range from $2,000 to $15,000, all based on the camp’s capacity. DSHS did not respond to Texas Scorecard‘s inquiry on the price changes before publication.
Although the DSHS is expected to release the timetable for implementation and the new safety requirements shortly, a coalition of nearly 160 camps is wondering if summer operations can continue due to the costs and tight deadline.
“The camps that they’ve been sending their children to over the summers and maybe even for two or three generations or more could be out of business and they will not be able to provide their camping experience that they’ve had over the years,” said Ron Hunt, camp director at Wilderness Ridge.
State Rep. Drew Darby and Sen. Charles Perry, who authored and carried HB 1, sent a letter to DSHS a few days before the hearing on the law’s implementation, requesting that camps receive extra time to comply with the fiber-optics requirements.
Darby also noted in the letter that the provision requiring broadband internet did not have an attached deadline. There was a specific request in the letter that the effective date be postponed until September 1, 2027, allowing the 90th Texas Legislature to address problems with the law.
DSHS previously told KXAN News that its duty is to simply implement laws as written by the legislature, but did not respond to follow-up questions about Perry and Darby’s letter.
Installation of a weather warning system tied to the National Weather Service will also be required.
The DSHS is set to release specific requirements for the new law by early February, along with a schedule for camps.
