Youth camps would screen adults and train staff for emergencies

Camp operators would check adults before allowing them to supervise campers alone and ensure adult staff complete emergency care training. Screening would cover adult staff and volunteers who have unsupervised contact with campers. Training would cover each adult staff member. Operators would run annual criminal history checks and check the Texas Department of Public Safety's sex offender database. Training would come from an accredited training organization or licensed health care professional. CPR teaches people to help someone whose breathing or heart has stopped. If enacted, the bill would take effect immediately with votes from two-thirds of all elected members of each chamber; otherwise, it would take effect on the 91st day after the legislative session ends.

Youth camp staff and volunteers would immediately report suspected child abuse or neglect under the Family Code's reporting rules. The duty would cover youth camp staff and volunteers, regardless of who they believe caused the abuse or neglect. The duty would apply when they have reasonable cause to believe abuse or neglect has harmed a child's physical or mental health or welfare.

The Health and Human Services Commission's executive commissioner would appoint an 11-person youth camp advisory committee. Seats would cover emergency management, law enforcement, medical care, child psychology, abuse prevention, and water safety. Two seats would go to camp operators, two to public members, and one to a parent or guardian whose child attended a Texas youth camp in the two years before appointment. Except for the two camp operator seats, members could not be affiliated with a youth camp or related within two degrees by blood or marriage to someone affiliated with one. Degrees are a legal measure of family closeness. The commissioner would try to reflect Texas's geographic diversity. Meetings would follow the state meeting rules in Government Code Chapter 551. Current members' terms would end and applications would open on the effective date. Appointments would be due by October 1, 2025, if the bill took effect immediately, or as soon as practicable after its effective date otherwise.

The Health and Human Services Commission's executive commissioner would review and revise youth camp rules. The review would cover youth camp rules under Chapter 141 of the Health and Safety Code. The commissioner would consult the youth camp advisory committee during the review and revision. The subsection requiring this review and revision would expire September 1, 2027.