The Texas Department of State Health Services said it reached an agreement this week with 19 youth camps to remove a new state requirement that camps install “end-to-end fiber optic facilities,” a condition meant to strengthen emergency communications after a deadly July 4 flood in the Texas Hill Country. Under the deal, DSHS said Thursday that camps that maintain redundant broadband internet service through other technologies can avoid possible license denial or revocation for not having fiber service for this summer, as long as they meet other camp safety requirements.
DSHS Commissioner Jennifer Shuford said the arrangement will ensure that youth camps operate with the safety provisions envisioned by the Legislature while still allowing camps and families to move forward with their summer plans. She said the agreement reflects the goal of keeping camp safety standards intact but recognizing that not every camp could meet the fiber mandate as written.
The fiber rule is the product of legislation adopted after the July 4 flood in the Hill Country that killed 25 campers, two counselors at Camp Mystic and the camp’s executive director, Dick Eastland. According to the filing and subsequent reporting described in the court fight, emergency responders had difficulties confirming what was happening at Camp Mystic because phone lines were down and there was no cell service at the camp.
The agreement resolves the camps’ lawsuit filed in Travis County state district court in April by the 19 operators, which included Camp Champions, Camp Longhorn and Tejas Ministries. The lawsuit said the “end-to-end fiber optic” mandate would not make properties safer, violated the state Constitution and state law related to property rights, and could prevent camps from opening, particularly in rural areas where fiber service might not be available or would be too costly.
Texas lawmakers including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows publicly supported removing the fiber-optic infrastructure requirement for all Texas camps. In a statement released alongside the broader push, Patrick and Burrows said there may be means other than fiber to provide reliable, redundant internet access that would satisfy the purpose and spirit of the law.
Under the agreement, camps set aside the fiber installation requirement in exchange for maintaining “redundant internet connectivity” using other methods, including cellular or satellite technology. The terms also provide that the lawsuit will be set aside until March 1, 2027, leaving the legal dispute for later resolution while camps plan for the 2026 summer season.
Camp Peniel executive director Brian Anderson, whose camp was among those that filed suit, said in a statement that the outcome keeps camp doors open for children and families across Texas. Anderson said camps provide opportunities for children to grow, build confidence and form friendships, and he framed the deal as a temporary solution that protects those experiences for the coming summer.
To qualify for licensure this summer, Texas summer camps must meet a number of requirements administered by DSHS, lawmakers said, including submitting an emergency action plan and maintaining a reliable communication system capable of operating during an emergency. Lawmakers also said the state’s 90th Legislative session in 2027 is expected to revisit camp safety standards, while ensuring camps operate in good faith under the new regulations.