| Chapter 349 |
| 2024 -- S 2174 SUBSTITUTE A Enacted 06/26/2024 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- LICENSING OF YOUTH CAMPS |
Introduced By: Senators Tikoian, F. Lombardi, Rogers, Burke, Britto, and LaMountain |
| Date Introduced: January 24, 2024 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Title 23 of the General Laws entitled "HEALTH AND SAFETY" is hereby |
| amended by adding thereto the following chapter: |
| CHAPTER 21.2 |
| LICENSING OF YOUTH CAMPS |
| 23-21.2-1. Definitions. |
| When used in this chapter: |
| (1) "Adequate" means that which is needed to accomplish the intended purpose in keeping |
| with good public health practice. |
| (2) "CCAP" means the child care assistance program administered by the Rhode Island |
| department of human services. |
| (3) "Day camp" means a camp operated for less than twenty-four (24) hours in any one |
| day, not including family day care homes as defined in § 23-28.1-5 or child day care centers as |
| defined in § 23-75-2 and accepts the CCAP payment rates established in § 40-6.2-1.1. Day campers |
| will be limited to two (2) overnight programs per week. |
| (4) "Department" means the department of human services. |
| (5) "Director" means the director of the department of human services. |
| (6) "Residential camp" means a camp which provides overnight facilities and accepts the |
| CCAP payment rates established in § 40-6.2-1.1. |
| (7) "Youth camp" means any day camp or residential camp which that conducts a program |
| for ten (10) or more campers and accepts the CCAP payment rates established in RIGL § 40-6.2- |
| 1.1. |
| 23-21.2-2. Requirements for licensing of youth camps. |
| To be eligible for the issuance or renewal of a youth camp license, the camp shall satisfy |
| the following requirements: |
| (1) The location of the camp shall be such as to provide adequate potable water and afford |
| facilities for obtaining readily available potable water; |
| (2) Each dwelling unit, building, and structure shall be maintained in good condition, |
| suitable for the use to which it is intended, and shall present no health or fire hazard as so certified |
| by the department of health and the state fire marshal or local fire marshal, and if required, as |
| indicated by a current fire marshal certificate dated within the past year and available on site when |
| the youth camp is in operation; |
| (3) There shall be an adequate and competent staff of consisting of: |
| (i) The youth camp director or assistant director, one of whom shall be on site at all times |
| the camp is in operation; |
| (ii) Activities specialists; |
| (iii) Counselors; and |
| (iv) Maintenance personnel; |
| (4) Each camp staff member over the age of eighteen (18) years shall be required to obtain |
| a criminal records background check from the bureau of criminal identification and investigation |
| division of the state police, local police department, or the office of the attorney general in |
| accordance with the procedures and standards provided in § 40-13.2-5.1; |
| (5) All youth camp staff shall be trained, at a minimum, on the camp's policies and |
| procedures pertaining to behavioral management and supervision, emergency health and safety |
| procedures and recognizing, preventing, and reporting child abuse and neglect in accordance with |
| § 40-11-3; |
| (6) All hazardous activities, including, but not limited to, archery, aquatics, horseback |
| riding and firearms instruction, shall be supervised by a qualified activities specialist who has |
| adequate experience and training in such area of specialty; |
| (7) The staff of a residential and day camp shall at all times include an individual trained |
| in the administration of first aid as required by the director; |
| (8) Records of personal data for each camper shall be kept in any reasonable form. The |
| form shall include: |
| (i) The camper's name, age, and address; |
| (ii) The name, address, and telephone number of the parents or guardian; |
| (iii) The dates of admission and discharge; and |
| (iv) Such other information as required by the department; and |
| (9) Any youth camp licensed under this chapter shall operate only as the type of camp |
| authorized by such license. Such camps shall not advertise any service they are not equipped or |
| licensed to offer. The license shall be posted in a conspicuous place at youth camp headquarters |
| and failure to so post the license shall result in the presumption that the camp is being operated in |
| violation of this chapter. |
| 23-21.2-3. Inspections of facilities. |
| The department shall inspect or cause to be inspected the facilities to be operated by an |
| applicant for an original license before the license shall be granted and shall annually thereafter |
| inspect or cause to be inspected the facilities of all licensees. |
| 23-21.2-4. Rules and regulations. |
| The department shall promulgate rules and regulations deemed necessary to implement the |
| purposes of this chapter. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2025. |
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| LC004311/SUB A |
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