The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is a government agency within the Department of Homeland Security that is responsible for coordinating national responses to disasters, providing financial and logistical support, and helping communities prepare for, protect against, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
The Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act (Texas Senate Bill 1) and the Youth CAMPER Act (Texas House Bill 1) are laws the Texas legislature passed during a special session in 2025. These laws mandate new safety protocols for youth camps after the July 4th Flood that tragically impacted Camp Mystic, Heart of the Hills, and other camps along the Guadalupe River. The laws require new safety protocols such as state review of emergency plans and evacuation plans, weather alerts, staff training, reliable internet access, and cabin placement outside of the 100-year floodplain. HB1 focuses on camp operator responsibilities, and SB1 addresses campground safety and communication technology. These bills aim to ensure camps have robust emergency systems and clear protocols to prevent future loss of life in natural disasters.
The strictest provisions of HB1 and SB1 apply only to licensed youth camps. H. E. Butt Foundation Camp, Laity Lodge, Laity Lodge Family Camp, and Outdoor School are not licensed youth camps, so those programs are relatively unaffected by the new laws.
NOTE: This letter was sent on January 2. As of January 27, we expect to hold camp this summer!
What changed? In mid-January, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), which oversees the state’s youth camp program, confirmed that the 1985 FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM maps) currently in place for our property will be accepted for this year’s camp license application.
We are publicly archiving Cary’s letter from January 2, 2026, to be as transparent as possible about our process of working with the state to provide the safest possible environment during camp.
January 2, 2026
Dear LLYC Families,
As we prepare for Summer 2026, I want to provide you with an update on how Laity Lodge Youth Camp is complying with new state safety standards and some challenges that may impact camp this summer.
Recently passed legislation in Texas—the Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act (SB1) and the Youth CAMPER Act (HB1)—has overhauled and standardized safety protocols for all licensed youth camps, especially around emergency preparedness, disaster response, and flood risk. We affirm the new standards and are actively working to not only meet but exceed them, including working with safety experts to help us review and improve our emergency protocols. You will be hearing more details about this work in the months ahead.
However, the legislation presents us with a significant challenge: in the annual application for licensure, camps must show where their cabins are located relative to the 100-year floodplain as determined by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) maps. Unfortunately, our last FEMA map was drawn in 1985. As is common in Texas’ rural counties, our FEMA map uses old topographic data, has not been digitized by FEMA, and does not depict structures and other landmarks to determine where the 100-year floodplain overlays with our campsites.
Following the summer flooding, we hired engineers to provide detailed studies of our floodplain. In addition, we have applied to FEMA for updated maps. Unfortunately, we are told that FEMA’s standard timeline for map revision is 12-18 months.
Applications for licensure open this month, and we intend to apply in good faith using our current FEMA map, supplemented by the floodplain studies we’ve conducted. However, given the new law’s reliance on FEMA maps, we cannot yet determine whether our application will meet the state’s expectations for youth camp licensure by this coming summer.
We are sensitive to how these uncertainties might impact your family and felt it was important to be transparent so you can make alternative summer plans if you choose to do so.
We are still doing all we can to operate camp in Summer 2026. We’re in communication with relevant government officials about this challenge, along with other camp leaders and associations. We’re also preparing to adhere to every requirement of SB1 and HB1. We are still safely and legally hosting Foundation Camp groups and Outdoor School in Echo Valley and Singing Hills. (Those programs operate under a different section of Texas law.) Our youth camp licensure challenge comes down to paperwork and a timing gap between what the law requires and when FEMA can deliver.
I know it’s hard to hear uncertain news. We will provide more clarity as we have it. You can expect to hear updates from me at least once a month going forward. If you have questions in the meantime, you can reply to this email or call our office at 830-315-9220. Our team is returning from holiday break soon and we can be responsive starting Monday, January 5.
If we are unable to host youth camp in the Canyon this summer, we will offer alternative programming. We will be ready to share those plans with you soon. Also, note that all registered LLYC campers for 2026 would be automatically registered for Summer 2027.
Again, I know this email is tough to receive. It is tough for us to send it! But we believe camps across Texas will all be stronger and safer in the end, and we trust that we’ll see you soon.
Cary Hendricks
Executive Director of Laity Lodge Camping Programs
