Camp Safety Bill Passes Alabama House

Tuesday, the Alabama House of Representatives passed HB381, the Sarah Marsh Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act by a unanimous vote of 104 Yeas, 0 Nays.

HB381 is a response to the July, 2025 Camp Mystic flash flood disaster in Hunt, Texas that claimed the lives of 27 campers and counselors. Among the fatalities was Sarah Marsh, an 8-year-old from Mountain Brook.

At present, Alabama camps are not subject to licensure, nor are they required to conduct criminal background checks on their staff. Among other things, HB381 addresses those issues.

Right now, summer camps in Alabama are not required to be licensed or to conduct criminal background checks on staff. HB381 addresses that issue.

HB381 also requires summer camps to obtain an emergency preparedness license from the Alabama Emergency Management Agency. This licensure is predicated on camps meeting standards focused on prevention, detection, training, and disaster response.

Under the provisions of HB38, to be licensed, camps must:

• Undergo inspections and meet safety rules, including criminal background checks for staff;
• Install strong emergency warning and alert systems;
• Train staff in health, safety, and emergency response;
• Prepare for emergencies with clear storm and evacuation plans; and
• Keep clear communication channels so parents are informed in a crisis.

State Representative David Faulkner (R-Mountain Brook), who introduced HB381 with the full support from Governor Kay Ivey, rose to speak to the House from the well in support of the bill.”

“This bill is special to me, and special, I know, to lots of you who co-sponsored this bill,“ Faulkner said. “At Camp Mystic, there was no effective emergency communication system. Cell service in the area was unreliable and counselors were required to surrender their phones. There were no walkie talkies, no intercoms, and no effective way to communicate actual evacuation instructions to each cabin in an emergency where minutes matter, that void left staff unable to coordinate a response, and left counselors and campers without guidance. Even more alarming, was the absence of a viable evacuation plan. 

“Many states, including Alabama, rely heavily on self reporting, limited inspections and vague emergency planning requirements,” Faulkner continued. “The Sarah Marsh Heavens 27 Camp Safety Act “puts in common sense requirements on our summer camps. This bill applies only to overnight camps. It does not apply to day camps. It's going to require that an emergency preparedness license be issued by the EMA two camps to operate as an overnight camp.

“We will have a public registry now going forward of the license camps in Alabama, these camps will be required to have emergency action plans. They will be required to have mandatory safety systems. They will be required to be to have transparency with parents and guardians. They will be required to have safety training and drills. There will be a prohibition of cabins in floodplain, floodplain areas and staff will be required to have criminal background checks members. That's what the bill does,” Faulkner said.

HB381 now goes to the Senate, where it is expected to pass, then be sent to Governor Ivey for her signature.