Parents Advocate for Camp Safety Legislation After Daughter's Death in Texas Floods

Tragedy at Camp Mystic

• 💔 The Hollis family is mourning the loss of their 8-year-old daughter, Virginia, who died during flash floods at Camp Mystic on July 4.
• 😔 The floods claimed the lives of at least 135 people in the Texas Hill Country, with 27 victims at Camp Mystic.
• 🎶 Virginia, a talented young composer, was excited to perform her own piano piece at the camp's talent show.

Advocating for Change

• 🏛️ Lacey and Lars Hollis, just 47 days after their daughter's death, testified before a Texas Senate committee to advocate for stronger camp safety laws.
• 🗣️ Their testimony highlighted the importance of remembering victims and ensuring their stories drive legislative action.
• 🎹 Lars shared a clip of Virginia's self-composed piano song, "Virginia's Song," as a cherished memory and a testament to the potential lost.

Legislative Response

• ✅ Texas legislators passed Senate Bill 1, the "Heaven's 27 Camp Safety Act," and House Bill 1, responding to the flood victims' families' calls for action.
• 🚫 Senate Bill 1 will ban cabins within 1,000 feet of floodway borders and mandate evacuation plans following National Weather Service flood warnings.
• 🗺️ Evacuation routes will be required to be displayed in youth camp cabins, and overnight camps must submit emergency plans to the state.

Calls for Enhanced Safety Measures

• ⚠️ Lars Hollis emphasized the need for better flood detection, redundancy in technology, and comprehensive emergency training for campers and counselors.
• 🏫 He noted that safety protocols common in schools are not consistently applied to summer camps.
• 🚫 The parents hope these new laws will prevent future tragedies and ensure no other child suffers a preventable death at a Texas camp.