Holden’s Child Camp Safety Bill Passes The Senate Committee On Human Services

This week, Assemblymember Chris Holden’s legislation Assembly Bill 262, which would direct the Department of Social Services (DSS) to lead a stakeholder group to develop recommendations through a report to the Legislature on future regulations that will protect children while attending day and overnight camps, passed the Senate Committee on Human Services.

“When parents take their children to day camps throughout the year, it is under the assumption that they will be protected, make friends, and return home safely afterwards,” Holden said in a prepared statement. “We want to give parents and guardians a peace of mind to ensure they know their child is cared for.”

AB 262 would direct DSS to report to the Legislature with guidance on establishing an appropriate licensing program for camps, ensuring camp counselors and staff are appropriately qualified, and providing parents and caregivers with accessible and transparent information on camp safety.

“While we do our best as parents to help guide and protect our children, it is not their responsibility to worry about their own safety, it is the responsibility of the adults providing supervision while their parent or guardians are at work,” said Holden.