Gov. Greg Abbott signs camp-safety laws after families urged action

Gov. Greg Abbott signed a package of bills on Tuesday aimed at strengthening safety at youth camps across Texas after families who lost children at summer camp urged rapid action.

The measures include Senate Bill 1, described at the ceremony as the "Heaven's 27 Camp Safety Act," and House Bill 1 (referred to as the "camper act"). Abbott said the laws "instill enduring safety into youth camp operations" and listed requirements the legislation imposes, including emergency-alert systems, staff training on evacuation routes and procedures, written emergency plans, siting cabins away from floodplains, requirements that camps be able to communicate with campers and staff during emergencies, the creation of a youth camp safety team, minimum camper-to-counselor ratios and state inspections to verify compliance.

"Every child who goes to camp should come home to their families," Abbott said, describing meetings with grieving parents and saying those families "pleaded for camp safety." He added, "Improved and safer camp safety is now law in the great state of Texas, a law that will save lives." Abbott also said the package includes measures to assist flood-prone communities: he announced Senate Bill 3, which "requires local governments in flood-prone areas to install outdoor sirens and warning systems," and said state grants will help localities install the systems.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who spoke at the event, praised lawmakers and families and said the package of bills — which he listed alongside Senate Bill 5 — were among the most important enacted in the session. "We sign about 1,100 bills of session, Governor. These are the most important," Patrick said, thanking members of the Texas House and Senate for making the items a priority in the special session.

Abbott said the bills accompany nearly $300 million in funding to help respond to floods and additional laws to combat disaster fraud. He also asked that the state and legislature memorialize two camp counselors who died while tending to campers, calling their actions "true Texas heroism." During the ceremony an attendee reminded officials that "we still have one child out there," a note that officials said underscores ongoing search and response efforts.

The governor said the laws will be in effect when camps open next summer. He handed commemorative pens to families at the ceremony and said he would return afterward to take questions from the media.

The bills were described at the signing but the transcript of the event does not include vote totals or full statutory text; representatives at the ceremony named authors and sponsors including State Rep. Drew Darby and State Sen. Charles Perry.