Texas Law Requires Youth Camps to Plan for Emergencies

Texas passed House Bill 1, known as the Youth CAMPER Act, to strengthen safety at youth camps across the state. This law makes sure that camps are ready for emergencies like fires, floods, and other crises that could put children at risk. The bill was passed in 2025 and became effective immediately.

Youth camps must now submit emergency plans that follow health and safety standards set by state officials. These plans help camps respond quickly and protect campers when something unexpected happens. Camps also must display a link on their website so that campers, parents, and staff can report any safety problems directly to the state health department.

The law also creates new rules about how many counselors must be at camp overnight. The state health department will study current counselor-to-camper ratios and make recommendations to ensure camps have enough staff to watch over children properly. If camps change their buildings, add new cabins, or renovate existing ones, they must report these changes to the state within 30 days.

A new team called the Youth Camp Safety Multidisciplinary Team will help develop safety standards for all camps. This team includes members from multiple state agencies, including emergency management, fire safety, parks and wildlife, water development, forestry, and public safety. When families choose a camp, they can feel confident that the camp has a plan in place to keep their children safe.

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