Vermont H 795: An act relating to children’s camps

Bill Text

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VT LEG #385045 v.2
H.795 1
Introduced by Representatives Greer of Bennington and Hango of Berkshire 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Health; food and lodging establishments; children’s camps; health and 5
safety 6
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to create 7
additional health and safety requirements for the licensure of children’s camps 8
and extend licensure requirements to day camps. 9
An act relating to children’s camps 10
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 11
Sec. 1. 18 V.S.A. chapter 85 is amended to read: 12
CHAPTER 85. FOOD AND LODGING ESTABLISHMENTS 13
Subchapter 1. Food and Lodging Establishments Generally 14
§ 4301. DEFINITIONS 15
(a) As used in this chapter: 16
* * * 17
(2) “Children’s camp” means any day or residential camp for children 18
that: 19

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(A) offers a combination of programs and facilities established for 1
the primary purpose of providing an experience to children; and 2
(B) is operated for five or more consecutive days during one or more 3
seasons of the year; and 4
(C) provides 24-hours-a-day supervision of children. 5
* * * 6
Subchapter 3. Children’s Camps 7
§ 4371. DEFINITIONS 8
As used in this subchapter: 9
(1) “Cabin” means a structure used to provide temporary sleeping 10
quarters for campers. 11
(2) “Camper” means a youth under 18 years of age who is attending a 12
children’s camp on a day or residential basis. 13
(3) “Flood hazard area” has the same meaning as area of special flood 14
hazard under 44 C.F.R. § 59.1. 15
(4) “Health and Safety Team” means the Children’s Camp Health and 16
Safety Team established in section 4372 of this chapter. 17
(5) “Mapped river corridor” means a river corridor drawn and adopted 18
by the Secretary of Natural Resources as part of the statewide River Corridor 19
Base Map Layer in accordance with the Flood Hazard Area and River Corridor 20

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Protection Procedure for rivers and streams with a watershed area greater than 1
two square miles. 2
(6) “Regional emergency management committee” means a local 3
organization for emergency management in accordance with the State 4
emergency management plan and program as described in 20 V.S.A. § 6. 5
§ 4372. CHILDREN’S CAMP HEALTH AND SAFETY TEAM 6
(a) Creation. There is established the Children’s Camp Health and Safety 7
Team within the Department of Health for the purposes of recommending 8
minimum health and safety standards for children’s camps to the 9
Commissioner of Health and the General Assembly and reviewing and 10
approving children’s camps’ emergency plans. 11
(b) Membership. The Health and Safety Team shall be composed of: 12
(1) a representative of the Department of Health, appointed by the 13
Commissioner; 14
(2) the Commissioner of Public Safety or designee; 15
(3) the Commissioner of Financial Regulation or designee; and 16
(4) the Commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation or designee. 17
(c) Powers and duties. The Health and Safety Team shall convene not less 18
than quarterly to: 19

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(1) develop and recommend health and safety policies for children’s 1
camps, including recommendations that may require amendment to State law 2
or rule; and 3
(2) review and approve emergency plans submitted by children’s camps 4
in the State. 5
(d) Assistance. The Health and Safety Team shall have the administrative, 6
technical, and legal assistance of the Department of Health. 7
(e) Meetings. 8
(1) The member appointed by the Commissioner of Health shall serve as 9
chair. 10
(2) A majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum. 11
§ 4373. ADDITIONAL LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS 12
(a) In addition to the requirements in subchapters 1 and 2 of this chapter, a 13
children’s camp shall meet the following health and safety requirements to 14
obtain a license to operate under this chapter: 15
(1) develop and adopt an approved emergency plan pursuant to section 16
4374 of this chapter; 17
(2) maintain an operable radio capable of providing real-time weather 18
alerts issued by the National Weather Service or a similar professional weather 19
service at the children’s camp; 20

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(3) install and maintain at the children’s camp an emergency warning 1
system that: 2
(A) is capable of alerting all campers and camp occupants of an 3
emergency; and 4
(B) includes a public address system that is operable without reliance 5
on an internet connection; 6
(4) monitor safety alerts issued by: 7
(A) the National Weather Service or a similar professional weather 8
service; and 9
(B) if applicable to the children’s camp, local river authorities or 10
through other local emergency notification systems; 11
(5) conspicuously post the proper evacuation route, a