| Chapter 235 |
| 2026 -- S 2946 Enacted 06/19/2026 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- LICENSING OF YOUTH CAMPS |
Introduced By: Senators Tikoian, Ciccone, Murray, Lauria, Urso, Appollonio, Rogers, and Thompson |
| Date Introduced: March 04, 2026 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Sections 23-21.2-2, 23-21.2-3 and 23-21.2-4 of the General Laws in Chapter |
| 23-21.2 entitled "Licensing of Youth Camps" are hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 23-21.2-2. Requirements for licensing of youth camps. |
| (a) 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 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. |
| (b) The requirements of subsection (a) of this section shall not apply until January 1, 2027. |
| 23-21.2-3. Inspections of facilities. |
| (a) 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. |
| (b) The inspection requirements of subsection (a) of this section shall not apply until |
| January 1, 2027. |
| 23-21.2-4. Rules and regulations. |
| The department shall promulgate rules and regulations deemed necessary to implement the |
| purposes of this chapter. Any rules and regulations adopted to implement §§ 22-21.2-2(a) and 23- |
| 21.2-3(a) shall not take effect until January 1, 2027. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC005323 |
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