BILL ANALYSIS
By: Hughes
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Nudist Youth Camps are those camps where children participate in nudist activities without their parents present. Several major newspapers and television stations have published articles and featured stories on nudist summer camps for children ages 11-18 in Florida, Arizona, and Virginia. Texas does not currently have such camps, but the media has reported that the American Association for Nude Recreation plans to open a nudist youth camp in Texas in the Summer of 2005.
Information published by the association makes it quite clear that little boys and girls as young as eleven years old participate in these camps. The substitute would prevent these camps from operating in the State of Texas and protect Texas children from this threat.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 1 of this bill.
ANALYSIS
The substitute prohibits a youth camp to operate as a nudist camp or conduct any nudist camp activity. The executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall adopt rules.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2005
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
Substitute adds language prohibiting nudist camp activities as prohibited activities.