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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to youth camp emergency response and safety standards and |
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emergency safety and evacuation plans. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 141, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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by adding Sections 141.0091 and 141.0092 to read as follow: |
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Sec. 141.0091. EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND SAFETY STANDARDS. |
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The executive commissioner by rule shall establish emergency |
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response and safety standards for youth camps. The standards must |
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require: |
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(1) safe overnight accommodations in areas subject to |
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flooding and located near a body of water or a waterway, including a |
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river, stream, creek, or tributary, provided the standards |
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prohibit the use of a permanent structure located: |
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(A) within 1,000 feet of the body of water or |
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waterway; or |
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(B) near the body of water or waterway and |
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elevated less than 50 feet above the ground; |
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(2) adequate camper, staff, and volunteer training on |
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the camp's evacuation procedures during a severe or hazardous |
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weather event; |
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(3) installation and maintenance of proper severe or |
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hazardous weather event equipment and warning systems with signal |
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and power sources operating independently without a power grid |
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connection; |
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(4) adequate nighttime emergency prevention security |
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provided by a qualified adult who remains awake and on duty during |
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camp sleeping hours; and |
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(5) proper life preserving equipment in each structure |
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used by campers for overnight accommodations. |
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Sec. 141.0092. EMERGENCY SAFETY AND EVACUATION PLAN. (a) A |
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youth camp operator shall develop an emergency safety and |
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evacuation plan for evacuating campers, staff, and volunteers in |
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the event of a severe or hazardous weather event, including a flood |
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or fire. The plan must: |
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(1) include procedures for using life preserving and |
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lifesaving equipment when evacuation is not possible; and |
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(2) designate an individual responsible for |
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coordinating plan implementation during an emergency. |
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(b) A youth camp operator shall: |
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(1) post the camp's emergency safety and evacuation |
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plan on the camp's publicly available Internet website; and |
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(2) provide a copy of the plan to each camper's parent |
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or legal guardian with the camper's enrollment documents. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall adopt rules establishing youth camp |
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emergency response and safety standards, as required by Section |
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141.0091, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the |
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legislative session. |