The bill amends the Health and Safety Code to enhance governmental oversight of youth camps in Texas. It allows the executive commissioner to adopt rules for youth camps while requiring a comprehensive review and revision of existing youth camp rules by April 1, 2026, in consultation with an advisory committee. This review process is set to expire on September 1, 2027. The advisory committee is restructured to consist of nine members, including professionals from emergency management, law enforcement, pediatric care, child psychology, child abuse prevention, and youth camp operations, as well as parents of recent campers and general public members.

Additionally, the bill imposes new responsibilities on youth camp operators, mandating that they ensure safe conditions for campers and conduct annual criminal history checks on staff members who have unsupervised contact with campers. Operators must also verify that these individuals are not registered sex offenders. The bill repeals several existing provisions of the Health and Safety Code and establishes a timeline for appointing new advisory committee members following the bill's enactment. The changes aim to improve safety standards and oversight for youth camps across the state.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Health and Safety Code 141.008, Health and Safety Code 141.010, Health and Safety Code 141.011 (Health and Safety Code 141)