Pennsylvania HB 2398: An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in local organizations and services, providing for flood evacuation plans for organized camps.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 3218 PRINTER'S NO. 3729
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2398
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY T. DAVIS, MADDEN, HILL-EVANS, SHUSTERMAN, PROBST,
McNEILL, OTTEN, SANCHEZ, HOWARD, D. WILLIAMS, GILLEN,
CERRATO, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, WARREN AND O'MARA, APRIL 16, 2026
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED,
JUNE 30, 2026
AN ACT
Amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in general provisions relating to
government and administration, providing for flood evacuation
plans for organized camps.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 53 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
§ 1144. Flood evacuation plans for organized camps.
(a) Evacuation plans.--The governing body of each
municipality shall require the operator of an organized camp
located within 500 feet of a special flood hazard area to
prepare and maintain a written flood evacuation plan for the
camp premises.
(b) Filing and review.--The operator of an organized camp
shall file a copy of the flood evacuation plan with the
municipality and the county emergency management agency and
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shall review and update the plan annually before the camp opens
for the camp season.
(c) Posting and distribution.--The operator of an organized
camp shall have the following duties:
(1) Post a diagram or summary of evacuation routes and
safe locations in each sleeping or dining facility within the
camp premises.
(2) Provide a copy or summary of the flood evacuation
plan to adult campers or parents or guardians of children and
youth campers before each camp season.
(d) Enforcement.--A municipality may condition the issuance
or renewal of any license, permit or zoning approval for an
organized camp on compliance with this section.
(e) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Operator." A person who owns or manages an organized camp.
"Organized camp." A s defined in section 1 of the act of
November 10, 1959 (P.L.1400, No.497), entitled "An act providing
for the annual registration of organized camps for children,
youth and adults; defining the duties of the Department of
Health of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and prescribing
penalties."
"Special flood hazard area." Land in a floodplain having a
1% or greater annual probability of flooding as identified by
the Federal Emergency Management Agency on a Flood Insurance
Rate Map or Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
AMENDING TITLE 35 (HEALTH AND SAFETY) OF THE PENNSYLVANIA
CONSOLIDATED STATUTES, IN LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND SERVICES,
PROVIDING FOR FLOOD EVACUATION PLANS FOR ORGANIZED CAMPS.
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THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
HEREBY ENACTS AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. TITLE 35 OF THE PENNSYLVANIA CONSOLIDATED
STATUTES IS AMENDED BY ADDING A SECTION TO READ:
§ 7505. FLOOD EVACUATION PLANS FOR ORGANIZED CAMPS.
(A) EVACUATION PLANS.--
(1) THE GOVERNING BODY OF EACH POLITICAL SUBDIVISION
SHALL REQUIRE THE OPERATOR OF AN ORGANIZED CAMP LOCATED
WITHIN 500 FEET OF A SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA TO ESTABLISH
AND MAINTAIN A WRITTEN FLOOD EVACUATION PLAN FOR THE CAMP
PREMISES.
(2) AN EXECUTIVE AGENCY OPERATING AN ORGANIZED CAMP
LOCATED WITHIN 500 FEET OF A SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA SHALL
ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN, OR SHALL CAUSE A LESSEE TO ESTABLISH
AND MAINTAIN, A WRITTEN FLOOD EVACUATION PLAN FOR THE CAMP
PREMISES.
(B) FILING AND REVIEW.--
(1) THE OPERATOR OF AN ORGANIZED CAMP, INCLUDING AN
EXECUTIVE AGENCY, SHALL FILE A COPY OF THE FLOOD EVACUATION
PLAN WITH THE AGENCY AND EACH COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
AGENCY AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATIONS OF
JURISDICTION WHERE THE ORGANIZED CAMP IS LOCATED.
(2) THE FLOOD EVACUATION PLAN SHALL BE REVIEWED ANNUALLY
AND MODIFIED AS NECESSARY BY THE OPERATOR, INCLUDING AN
EXECUTIVE AGENCY, IN CONSULTATION WITH EACH COUNTY EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AGENCY AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION
OF JURISDICTION WHERE THE ORGANIZED CAMP IS LOCATED, BEFORE
THE CAMP OPENS FOR THE CAMP SEASON.
(C) POSTING AND DISTRIBUTION.--THE OPERATOR OF AN ORGANIZED
CAMP SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING DUTIES:
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(1) POST A DIAGRAM OR SUMMARY OF EVACUATION ROUTES AND
SAFE LOCATIONS IN EACH SLEEPING AND DINING FACILITY WITHIN
THE CAMP PREMISES.
(2) PROVIDE A COPY OR SUMMARY OF THE FLOOD EVACUATION
PLAN TO ADULT CAMPERS OR PARENTS OR GUARDIANS OF CHILDREN AND
YOUTH CAMPERS BEFORE EACH CAMP SEASON.
(D) ENFORCEMENT.--A POLITICAL SUBDI