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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to youth camp emergency operations plans, including camp |
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staff and volunteer training and camper safety drills. |
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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 Section 141.0091 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 141.0091. EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN; CAMP STAFF AND |
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VOLUNTEER TRAINING; CAMPER SAFETY DRILLS. (a) A youth camp |
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operator shall: |
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(1) develop and implement a written emergency |
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operations plan with procedures for responding to an emergency |
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event, including a weather or other disaster, serious accident, |
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epidemic, or fatality; and |
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(2) annually review and as necessary update the plan. |
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(b) The emergency operations plan must include specific |
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procedures for campers, camp staff, and camp volunteers to follow |
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in an emergency event, including procedures for emergency shelter |
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in or evacuation from camp buildings and the camp. The department |
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may prescribe additional procedures to be addressed in the plan. |
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(c) A youth camp operator shall conspicuously post the |
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camp's emergency operations plan in: |
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(1) the camp's on-site administrative building; and |
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(2) each building occupied or used by campers, camp |
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staff, or camp volunteers. |
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(d) Before the beginning of each camp session, a youth camp |
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operator shall: |
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(1) provide to each camp staff member or volunteer |
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comprehensive training on the camp's emergency operations plan, |
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that: |
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(A) covers each procedure included in the plan |
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and the location of any emergency or lifesaving equipment; and |
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(B) includes plan implementation exercises and |
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emergency management skills; and |
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(2) assign to each camp staff member or volunteer |
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specific responsibilities for implementing the plan. |
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(e) As soon as practicable but not later than 48 hours after |
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the beginning of each camp session, youth camp staff shall conduct |
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an age-appropriate emergency drill to ensure campers are familiar |
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with evacuation routes and other procedures included in the camp's |
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emergency operations plan and the location and appropriate use of |
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any emergency or lifesaving equipment. |
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(f) A youth camp shall maintain in the camp's on-site |
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administrative office records documenting the successful |
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completion by each camp staff member, volunteer, and camper of the |
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training and emergency drills required by Subsections (d) and (e). |
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(g) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary |
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to implement this section. |
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SECTION 2. 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. |