Legislative Analysis
Phone: (517) 373-8080
CAMP LICENSING ACT http://www.house.mi.gov/hfa
Senate Bills 692 (S-2) and 695 (S-1) as passed by the Senate Analysis available at
Sponsor: Sen. Sam Singh http://www.legislature.mi.gov
Senate Bill 693 (S-2) as passed by the Senate
Sponsor: Sen. Veronica Klinefelt
Senate Bill 694 (S-2) as passed by the Senate Senate Bill 798 (S-1) as passed by the Senate
Sponsor: Sen. Mary Cavanagh Sponsor: Sen. Kevin Hertel
House Committee: Families, Children and Seniors
Senate Committee: Oversight
Revised 12-5-24
SUMMARY:
Senate Bill 692 would create a new act, the Camp Licensing Act, to provide for the
licensing and regulation of camps and camp programs and establish relevant standards and
procedures, to prohibit certain conduct and provide penalties, to provide immunity from
liability under certain circumstances, and to create the Camp Licensing Fund, among other
changes described below. The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA)
would be responsible for residential camps for adult campers under the bill, while the
Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) would be
responsible for camps for youth campers. Currently, those departments have those
respective responsibilities under the Adult Foster Care Facility Licensing Act and 1973 PA
116, known as the child care licensing act. Senate Bills 694 and 695 would amend those
acts to remove provisions related to camps. The bills would take effect September 1, 2025.
Senate Bill 692 would prohibit an individual or legal entity from establishing or
maintaining a camp (a day camp, residential camp, travel camp, or campsite) unless
licensed by the applicable department. 1
Day camp would mean a camp program for youth campers located at a campsite
where care and supervision are provided each day for more than four hours a day
with no overnight sleeping.
Camp program would mean a program that receives more than four campers for
care and supervision, apart from the camper’s parents, relatives, or guardians, for
five or more days in a 14-day period, stationed in a campsite or as a travel camp.
Youth camper would mean a child who is at least three years old, but under 18, and
who receives care and supervision.
1
As noted above, that department would be MiLEAP for youth camps and LARA for adult residential camps.
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 Residential camp would mean a camp program conducted at a campsite that
provides care and supervision to either adult campers or youth campers each day
for at least 12 hours a day with overnight sleeping.
Travel camp would mean a camp program that provides care and supervision to
youth campers in a natural environment for 12 or more hours a day with overnight
sleeping and is not stationed at a specific campsite.
Campsite would mean the area of an outdoors setting where a camp is run at least
51% of the time and that is located where a residential camp or day camp primarily
operates, including land, bodies of water, indoor and outdoor facilities, furnishings,
and installations that support outdoor living or activities.
Adult camper would mean an individual attending a residential camp who is at least
18 years old and who has a mental health disorder, is developmentally disabled, or
is physically disabled.
A license application would have to be made as prescribed by the applicable department.
Application fees for a temporary or renewal license would be $120 for a camp program
and $120 for a campsite. Before issuing or renewing a license, the department would have
to investigate the applicant’s activities and proposed standards of care and supervision and
make an on-site visit of the proposed or established camp. The department would have to
issue or renew the license if it is satisfied that the applicant’s services and facilities are
conducive to the care and supervision of campers. A license would be issued to a specific
licensee at a specific location, would be nontransferable, and would remain the property of
the department.
Licenses
A regular license (a license issued indicating that the camp is in substantial compliance
with the new act and its applicable rules) would be effective for up to one year and would
expire on the August 31 following its issuance. However, a regular license could be
revoked, denied renewal, or modified to a provisional license as described below. If
approved, the applicable department would have to renew a regular license after application
and payment of the applicable fee.
Upon approving a new application for a camp, the applicable department would have to
issue a temporary license (an original license issued to a camp, before operation,
conveying that the camp is compliant with all statutes and the applicable rules promulgated
under the new act). A new camp would have to receive a temporary license before
operation. (If an existing camp program relocates to a new address, a temporary license
would not be required, and a new license could be issued at the new address at the
department’s discretion.) A temporary license would expire on the August 31 following its
issuance. Renewal of a temporary license would be contingent on the submission of a
renewal application, fee, and approval by the department. At the end of the temporary
license period, the department would have to issue a regular license, refuse to issue a
license, or issue a provisional license as described below.
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 A provisional license could be issued to a camp that is temporarily unable to conform to
the new act or its applicable rules. A provisional license would expire on the August 31
following its issuance and could be issued up to two consecutive times. Issuance of a
provisional license would be contingent on the submission to the applicable department of
an acceptable plan to overcome the deficiency present in the camp within the time
limitations of the provisional licensing period. Renewal of a provisional license would be
contingent on the submission of a new application, fee, and approval by the department.
At the end of the provisional license, the department would have to issue a regular license,
refuse to renew the license, or modify to a second provisional license.
The applicable department would have to periodically assess a camp’s continued
compliance with the new act and its applicable rules. The department would have to make
an on-site inspection of a camp at least once every two years.
Inspections under the act would have to be unannounced, unless the applicable department,
in its discretion, considers it necessary to schedule an appointment for an inspection.
License modification
The applicable department could modify the regular license of a camp to a provisional
license if the licensee is in both willful noncompliance and substantial noncompliance
with the new act, its applicable rules, or the terms of the license. A licensee would have to
be given written notice of the grounds of the proposed modification. The licensee could
appeal the proposed modification by writing the department director or the director’s
designee within 30 days after receiving the notice. If the proposed modification is not
appealed, the license would be modified.
Willful noncompliance would mean conduct that an applicant or licensee knew or
had reason to know was a violation of the new act, its applicable rules, or the terms
of a license.
Substantial noncompliance would mean repeated violation of the new act, its
applicable rules, or the terms of a license that may jeopardize the health, safety,
care, treatment, maintenance, or supervision of campers.
Upon receiving an appeal, the director or director’s designee would have to initiate the
provisions of Chapters 4 and 5 of the Administrative Procedures Act. Notice of a hearing
would have to be given to the licensee by personal service or delivery to the proper address
by certified mail at least two weeks before the hearing. The director’s decision would have
to be made as soon as practicable after the hearing and forwarded to the licensee by certified
mail no more than 10 days after that. A person aggrieved by the director’s decision
following a hearing could appeal as provided in Chapter 6 of the Administrative Procedures
Act.
The applicable department also could immediately modify a license without providing
written notice or giving the licensee 30 days to appeal if the licensee, in writing, waives
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 the above requirements related to notice, the time frame for appeal, and implementation of
Chapters 4 and 5 of the Administrative Procedures Act.
The applicable department could accept a licensee’s written request to close a license if the
department does not have an active investigation against the licensee and is not pursuing
revocation or refusal to renew as described below.
Denial, revocation, or refusal to renew
The applicable department could deny, revoke, or refuse to renew a license of a camp if
the licensee or applicant falsifies information on the application or is in both willful
noncompliance and substantial noncompliance with the new act, its applicable rules, or the
terms of the license. The licensee or applicant would have to be given written notice of the
grounds of the proposed action. The licensee or applicant could appeal the proposed action
by writing the department director within 30 days after receiving the notice. If the proposed
action is not appealed, the license would be revoked, denied, or refused renewal, as
applicable.
Upon receiving an appeal, the director or director’s designee would have to initiate the
provisions of Chapters 4 and 5 of the Administrative Procedures Act and conduct a hearing
at which the licensee or applicant may present testimony and confront witnesses. Notice of
the hearing would have to be given to the licensee or applicant by personal service or
delivery to the proper address by certified mail at least two weeks before the hearing. The
director’s decision would have to be made as soon as practicable after the hearing and
forwarded to the licensee or applicant by certified mail no more than 10 days after that. A
person aggrieved by the director’s decision following a hearing could appeal as provided
in Chapter 6 of the Administrative Procedures Act.
The director or the director’s designee could issue a subpoena to compel the attendance of
a witness to testify at a contested case hearing or to produce books, papers, documents, or
other items relevant to the investigation or hearing. If a subpoena is disobeyed, the director
or the director’s designee could petition the circuit court to require the attendance of a
witness or the production of books, papers, documents, or other items. The circuit court
could issue an order requiring a person to appear and give testimony or produce books,
papers, documents, or other items. Failure to obey the order of the circuit court could be
punished as contempt of court.
The applicable department also could immediately revoke, deny, or refuse renewal of a
license without providing written notice or giving the licensee or applicant 30 days to
appeal if the licensee or applicant, in writing, waives the above requirements related to
notice, the time frame for appeal, and implementation of Chapters 4 and 5 of the
Administrative Procedures Act.
A person, an agency, or a representative or officer of a firm, corporation, association, or
organization that has a license revoked, application denied, or renewal refused could be
refused a license, or be prohibited from being connected, directly or indirectly, with a
licensee for a period of at least five years after the revocation, denial, or refusal to renew.
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 The applicable department, in its discretion, could reject an application from a person, an
agency, or a representative or officer of a firm, a corporation, an association, or an
organization described above. After notifying the applicant of the rejection and the reason
for the rejection, the department could reject the application on its face without taking
further action.
License sanctions
The applicable department could refuse to accept an application from, or issue a license to,
a person seeking licensure, a licensee designee, an administrator, or a program director of
a camp that had a license revoked, application denied, or renewal refused within the five
years immediately preceding the application. The department may reject the application
described under this subsection on its face without taking further action after notifying the
applicant of the rejection and the reason for the rejection.
If a licensee, licensee designee, administrator, or program director of a camp intentionally
violates a rule issued under the act and causes the death of a child, the applicable
department would have to permanently revoke the license.
Rules
The applicable department would have to develop and issue rules for the care and
supervision of campers in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act. Before
doing so, and before amending the rules, the department would have to seek input from
individuals the rules would affect, including at least the following:
• A representative of a camp organization.
• A parent or guardian of a child impacted by the bill.
• An employee from the Bureau of Fire Services.
• An employee from the Department of Health and Human Services.
The rules could include only the following standards and conduct:
• The operation and conduct of camps and the responsibility the camps assume for
care and supervision of a camper.
• The suitability, health, training, and qualifications of applicants and other persons
directly responsible for the care and supervision of campers served.
• The general financial ability and competence of applicants to provide necessary
care and supervision for campers and maintain prescribed standards.
• The number of individuals or staff required to ensure adequate care and supervision
of the campers received.
• The appropriateness, safety, cleanliness, and general adequacy of the premises,
including maintenance of adequate fire prevention and health standards to provide
for the physical comfort, care, and well-being of the campers received.
• Provisions for food, clothing, educational opportunities, camp programs,
equipment, and individual supplies to ensure the healthy physical, emotional, and
mental development of campers served.
• Provisions to safeguard the legal rights of campers served.
• Maintenance of records pertaining to admission, progress, health, and discharge of
campers.
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 • Requirements for filing reports with the applicable department.
• Appropriate behavior management of campers.
• Standards for transportation safety.
• The inspection process for camps with deemed status.
A rule could not authorize or require a medical examination, immunization, or treatment
for a camper whose parent or guardian objects to it on religious grounds.
The applicable department would have to review and consider any proposed rule changes
it receives.
Background check
Before a camp allows a staff member (defined as including volunteers) to have
unsupervised contact with a camper and at least annually thereafter, it would have to
perform a background check on that staff member using the Internet Criminal History
Access Tool (ICHAT) of the Department of State Police (MSP) or an equivalent tool to
check on that staff member from their state or country of residence. If the background
check reveals that the staff member has been convicted of a listed offense, 2 the camp would
have to rescind an offer of employment or terminate that employee’s employment, as
applicable. If the background check reveals that the staff member has been convicted of a
crime other than a listed offense, the licensee or licensee designee would have to complete
a written evaluation, addressing the nature of the conviction, the time since the conviction,
and the relationship of the conviction to the regulated activity, to determine whether the