AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 8, 2024
AMENDED IN SENATE SEPTEMBER 1, 2023
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 18, 2023
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 15, 2023
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION
93
CHAPTER 341
Statutes of 2024
[ Approved by Governor September 22, 2024. Filed with Secretary of State September 22, 2024. ]
Introduced by Assembly Member Holden
January 19, 2023
An act to add Division 2.1 (commencing with Section 1796.90) to the Health and Safety Code, relating to children’s camps.
Vote: majority Appropriation: no Fiscal committee: yes Local program: no
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST
Existing law, the California Community Care Facilities Act, generally provides for the licensing and regulation of community care facilities, including child daycare facilities, by the State Department of Social Services. Existing law also requires the State Public Health Officer to establish rules and regulations establishing minimum standards for organized camps, defined as a site with a program and facilities established for the primary purposes of providing an outdoor group living experience with social, spiritual, educational, or recreational objectives, for 5 days or more during one or more seasons of the year, except as specified.
This bill, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature for this purpose, would require the State Department of Social Services to prepare a report, in consultation with a wide variety of stakeholders, regarding approaches for children’s camp health and safety regulation and oversight. The bill would require the stakeholder group to be composed of representatives of designated state entities, including, but not limited to, the State Department of Public Health and the State Department of Education, and other stakeholders, such as parent advocate groups and local parks and health departments. The bill would require the department, following consultation with the stakeholder group, and within 24 months after funds are appropriated, to submit its recommendations in a report to the Legislature, as specified. The bill would require the recommendations to address a definition for a children’s camp, the government agency or agencies necessary to establish and enforce rules and regulations relating to children’s camps, and minimum health and safety requirements, as specified. The bill would require the report to include costs estimates for implementation of the recommendations included in the report.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Division 2.1 (commencing with Section 1796.90) is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:
Division 2.1. CHILDREN’S CAMPS
(a) (1) Subject to an appropriation by the Legislature for this purpose, the State Department of Social Services shall prepare a report, informed by consultation with a wide variety of stakeholders, regarding approaches for children’s camp health and safety regulation and oversight, as described in Section 1796.91.
(2) In preparing the report, the State Department of Social Services shall consult with a range of stakeholders, including, but not limited to, the following:
(A) The State Department of Public Health.
(B) The State Department of Education.
(C) The Department of Industrial Relations.
(D) The Department of Parks and Recreation.
(E) The Office of the State Fire Marshal.
(F) Local city, county, and special district parks departments, in consultation with the Department of Parks and Recreation.
(G) Local health departments, and local environmental health departments, in consultation with the State Department of Public Health.
(H) Parent advocates.
(b) The State Department of Social Services may contract for consultation services and the preparation of the report described in this section.
(c) Notwithstanding any other law, for purposes of this division, all contracts shall be exempt from the personal services contracting requirements of Article 4 (commencing with section 19130) of Chapter 5 of Part 2 of Division 5 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the Public Contract Code, and the State Contracting Manual, and shall not be subject to the approval of the Department of Technology or the Department of General Services.
(a) No later than 24 months after the date funds have been appropriated to the department for this purpose, the State Department of Social Services shall submit the report created under Section 1796.90 to the Legislature. At a minimum, the report shall include recommendations for all of the following:
(1) The definition of a children’s camp.
(2) The government agency or agencies necessary to adopt and enforce regulations or written directives until regulations are adopted, including for approaches that may include a licensing program, relating to children’s camps.
(3) Minimum health and safety requirements to protect children attending children’s camps pursuant to this section’s requirements.
(b) The report shall include cost estimates and a cost and benefits analysis for implementation of each of the approaches detailed in subdivision (a).
(c) A report submitted pursuant to this section shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.