In a joint statement issued yesterday, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Texas House of Representatives Speaker Dustin Burrows indicated the state’s new camp safety acts, passed in response to the Camp Mystic flooding disaster, have strengthened safety standards for camps statewide, allowing camps to apply for licensing this year.

“These reforms establish a more rigorous approach to preparedness, including long-overdue requirements such as comprehensive emergency planning and training and redundant internet access,” the statement read.

Some camps haven’t met the redundant internet requirement because the law requires camps to install new fiber-optic internet infrastructure, the statement further reads.

Hoping to reassure camp owners, state leaders recognize there are other ways to meet the requirement.

“We, the leadership of the Texas Senate and Texas House, support allowing camps to qualify for licensure through the Department of State Health Services to operate for the summer 2026 season if they have submitted a sufficient emergency action plan, meet all other safety requirements, and maintain a reliable communication system capable of operating during an emergency,” the statement added.

The Youth CAMPER Act and the Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act were signed into law last September by Governor Greg Abbott.

Together, the laws require camps to install and maintain emergency systems, train staff on evacuation procedures, and establish a Youth Camp Safety team.

Twenty-five campers and two teen counselors died as a result of catastrophic flooding at Camp Mystic on July 4, 2025.