Senate Bill S3849

2011-2012 Legislative Session

Adds 3 representatives of children's interests to the state camp safety advisory council; directs a study of improving the regulation of youth camps

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 13, 2012	print number 3849a
Jan 13, 2012	amend and recommit to health
Jan 04, 2012	referred to health
Mar 07, 2011	referred to health

Bill Amendments

Original

A (Active)

co-Sponsors

2011-S3849 - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Health
Law Section:: Public Health Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §1390, Pub Health L
Versions Introduced in 2009-2010 Legislative Session:: S3970

2011-S3849 - Summary

Increases from 1 to 4, the number of members of the "state camp safety advisory council" who are to be representatives of children's interests who do not operate a camp; concomitantly increases the total membership of such council from 9 to 12; directs the commissioner of health to conduct a study of the feasibility of improving the statutes, rules and regulations governing and the practices used by youth camps, including the feasibility of a uniform, standardized training and testing system for youth camp counselors, the feasibility of periodic mandated workshops for local health inspectors, and the feasibility of mandated workshops for youth camp directors.

2011-S3849 - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S3849

TITLE OF BILL:

An act
to amend the public health law, in relation to the membership of the
state camp safety advisory council; and to direct the commissioner of
health to conduct a study of youth camp safety

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends section 1390 of the Public Health Law in relation to
the make-up of the State Camp Safety Advisory Council. The council
shall be expanded to twelve members from the current nine members by
adding three members, who do not operate a children's camp, to
represent the interests of children; currently, only one member is so
designated. The existing membership structure will otherwise remain
the same; three members to represent youth camps operated in New York
for profit; three members to represent youth camps operated in New
York for not-for-profit; one member to represent youth camp
consumer interests; and one member to represent summer day camps and
traveling summer day camps operated by municipal corporations and
other entities subject to article 13-D of this chapter. This section
also stipulates the procedure to fill a vacancy on the council.
Although current law specifies the length terms for council members,
the law lacks sufficient provisions relating to succession. The bill

stipulates procedures required to take upon the expiration of a
member's term and time frame to fill a vacancy on the council.

Section 2 mandates the Commissioner of the Department of Health to
conduct a study of the feasibility of improving the statutes, rules
and regulations governing, and the practice utilized by youth camps.
The study shall gauge the feasibility of establishing a uniform,
standardized training and testing system for camp counselors, and
providing periodic mandated workshops and testing for local health
inspectors and youth camp directors. The study will review the
minimum standards for first aid and water safety and review the
counselor/camper ratio for cardio-pulmonary resuscitation training.
The commissioner is directed to issue a cost estimate for each of
these programs. Subpart 7-2 of the State Sanitary Code already
outlines certain guidelines relating to camp procedures for counselor
training, duties of local county health inspectors, and camp
directors. According to the guidelines, camps must create a Written
Plan and submit it to the Department of Health. Although the plan
must meet certain general criteria, camps have some discretion as to
the composition of the plan. This legislation would strengthen the
current law by working for the creation of a standardized statewide
plan for counselor training and testing, as well as further
specify and strengthen the duties and responsibilities of camp
directors and county health inspectors.
Section 3 sets the effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:

In the summer of 1998, Jeremy Scheinfeld drowned at an overnight camp
in New York State. Jeremy, who was ten years old at the time, drowned
in a kill while participating in a camp activity off camp grounds.
According to the County Investigation Report, "several campers were
almost lost in this event". This senseless tragedy could have been
prevented through the proper supervision and training of camp staff.
This legislation intends to guard against such a tragedy occurring in
the future by altering the composition and membership procedures of
the State Camp Safety Advisory Council and reviewing the state safety
guidelines for camp staff and campers. The Department of Health (DOH)
indicate that it could implement most of the recommendations with the
proper resources, this legislation requires DOH to conduct a
feasibility study to determine the exact cost to implement these
recommendations. The study will examine the current safety and staff
guidelines relating to the creation and implementation of a new youth
counselor orientation and testing program, the establishment of
minimum standards of proficiency for counselors in water and
first-aid safety, and a review of the current counselor/camper ratio
for CPR. The study will also examine
the current requirements for local health inspectors and can~
directors.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect 90 days after it shall have become a law;
provided, however, that the Governor is authorized and directed to
appoint members to the state camp safety advisory council on or
before such effective date to fill any expired terms, vacancies or
additional member positions which shall exist on such date.

2011-S3849 - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  3849

                       2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              March 7, 2011
                               ___________

Introduced by Sens. OPPENHEIMER, DIAZ -- read twice and ordered printed,
  and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health

AN  ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to the membership of
  the state camp safety advisory council; and to direct the commissioner
  of health to conduct a study of youth camp safety

  THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section  1. Section 1390 of the public health law, as amended by chap-
ter 337 of the laws of 1980, is amended to read as follows:
  S 1390. Establishment of state camp  safety  advisory  council.    The
commissioner  [of  health] shall establish within the [state] department
[of health] a state camp safety advisory council to advise  and  consult
on  policy  matters  relating  to  youth  camp safety. The council shall
consist of [nine] TWELVE members to be appointed by  the  governor  with
the advice and consent of the senate. Three members of the council shall
be representatives of youth camps operated in New York for profit, three
members  of the council shall be representatives of youth camps operated
in New York under philanthropic, non-profit or charitable auspices,  one
member  of  the council shall be a representative of youth camp consumer
interests, [one] FOUR MEMBERS  shall  be  [a  representative]  REPRESEN-
TATIVES of children's interests who [does] DO not operate [a] children's
[camp]  CAMPS,  and  one  MEMBER shall be a representative of summer day
camps and traveling summer day camps operated by municipal  corporations
and  other  entities  subject to article thirteen-D of this chapter. The
council shall elect from among its members  a  chairman.  On  or  before
January first, nineteen hundred seventy-four, the governor shall appoint
two youth camp representative members for a term of two years, two youth
camp  representative members for a term of four years and two youth camp
representative members for a term of six  years.  Biennially  thereafter
the  youth camp representative members shall be appointed to [said] SUCH
council in like manner to succeed those whose terms expire, to serve for

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD05923-01-1

S. 3849                             2

terms of six years each and until their successors  are  appointed.  The
member  representative of youth camp consumer interests shall also serve
for a term of six years and until a successor is appointed. On or before
January  first,  nineteen hundred eighty-one, the governor shall appoint
[the] ONE representative of children's interests  for  a  term  of  four
years  and  the  representative of summer day camps and traveling summer
day camps operated by municipal corporations and other entities  subject
to  article  thirteen-D  of  this chapter for a term of two years. ON OR
BEFORE JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWELVE, THE GOVERNOR SHALL APPOINT THREE
REPRESENTATIVES OF CHILDREN'S INTERESTS FOR A TERM OF FOUR YEARS. There-
after, each succeeding representative of children's interests  and  each
succeeding  representative of [said] SUCH summer day camps and traveling
summer day camps shall serve terms of six years  each  and  until  their
successors  are appointed. Vacancies shall be filled by the governor for
the unexpired portion of the term.  [Said] ALL EXPIRED TERMS AND  VACAN-
CIES  SHALL BE FILLED WITHIN SIXTY DAYS OF THE EXPIRATION OF THE TERM OR
OCCURRENCE OF THE VACANCY. SUCH council shall  meet  at  least  twice  a
year, and more often if necessary, on the call of the chairman or on the
call  of  the commissioner [of health]. The members of the council shall
receive no compensation but shall be  reimbursed  for  their  reasonable
traveling  and other expenses incurred in the performance of their offi-
cial duties.
  S 2. a. The commissioner of health shall conduct a study of the feasi-
bility of improving the statutes, rules and  regulations  governing  and
the  practices  utilized by youth camps. The commissioner shall include,
at a minimum, the following:
  (1) the feasibility of establishing a uniform,  standardized  training
and testing system for youth camp counselors including the establishment
of  minimum standards of proficiency in first aid and water safety. Such
study shall review the feasibility of developing  counselor  orientation
materials  and programs for use prior to the arrival of children partic-
ipating  in  the  camp.  Such  study  shall  also  review  the  required
counselor/camper ratio for cardio pulmonary resuscitation training;
  (2) the feasibility of providing periodic mandated workshops for local
health  inspectors  responsible  for the inspection of youth camp health
and safety regulations, as well as  the  monitoring  of  local  streams,
lakes,  rivers  and  other  bodies of water to warn the public and local
camps of hazardous water conditions; and
  (3) the feasibility of providing periodic mandated workshops for youth
camp directors.
  In studying the feasibility of establishing such workshops and  train-
ing,  the  commissioner  of  health  shall  estimate  the costs of these
programs and possible fees  that could be structured to support them.
  b. The commissioner of health shall submit a  report  of  his  or  her
findings  and recommendations, derived from the study conducted pursuant
to this section, to the governor and the legislature within one year  of
the effective date of this act.
  S  3.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law; provided, however, that the  governor  is  authorized
and  directed to appoint members to the state camp safety advisory coun-
cil on or before such effective date to fill any expired  terms,  vacan-
cies or additional member positions which shall exist on such date.

co-Sponsors

2011-S3849A (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Health
Law Section:: Public Health Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §1390, Pub Health L
Versions Introduced in 2009-2010 Legislative Session:: S3970

2011-S3849A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2011-S3849A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S3849A

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the public health law, in relation to the membership of the
state camp safety advisory council; and to direct the commissioner of
health to conduct a study of youth camp safety

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends section 1390 of the Public Health Law in relation to
the make-up of the State Camp Safety Advisory Council. The council
shall be expanded to twelve members from the current nine members by
adding three members, who do not operate a children's camp, to
represent the interests of children; currently, only one member is so
designated. The existing membership structure will otherwise remain
the same; three members to represent youth camps operated in New York
for profit; three members to represent youth camps operated in New
York for not-for-profit; one member to represent youth camp consumer
interests; and one member to represent summer day camps and traveling
summer day camps operated by municipal corporations and other
entities subject to article 13-D of this chapter. This section also
stipulates the procedure to fill a vacancy on the council. Although
current law specifies the length terms for council members, the law
lacks sufficient provisions relating to succession. The bill
stipulates procedures required to take upon the expiration of a
member's term and time frame to fill a vacancy on the council.

Section 2 mandates the Commissioner of the Department of Health to
conduct a study of the feasibility of improving the statutes, rules
and regulations governing, and the practice utilized by youth camps.
The study shall gauge the feasibility of establishing a uniform,
standardized training and testing system for camp counselors, and
providing periodic mandated workshops and testing for local health
inspectors and youth camp directors. The study will review the
minimum standards for first aid and water safety and review the
counselor/camper ratio for cardio-pulmonary resuscitation training.
The commissioner is directed to issue a cost estimate for each of
these programs. Subpart 7-2 of the State Sanitary Code already
outlines certain guidelines relating to camp procedures for counselor
training, duties of local county health inspectors, and camp
directors. According to the guidelines, camps must create a Written
Plan and submit it to the Department of Health. Although the plan
must meet certain general criteria, camps have some discretion as to
the composition of the plan. This legislation would strengthen the
current law by working for the creation of a standardized statewide
plan for counselor training and testing, as well as further
specify and strengthen the duties and responsibilities of camp
directors and county
health inspectors. Section 3 sets the effective date.

JUSTIFICATION:
In the summer of 1998, Jeremy Scheinfeld drowned at an overnight. camp
in New York state. Jeremy, who was ten years old at the time, drowned
in a kill while participating in a camp activity off camp grounds.
According to the County Investigation Report, "several campers were
almost lost in this event". This senseless tragedy could have been


prevented through the proper supervision and training of camp staff.
This legislation intends to guard against such a tragedy occurring in
the future by altering the composition and membership procedures of
the state Camp Safety Advisory Council and reviewing the state safety
guidelines for camp staff and campers. The Department of Health (DOH)
indicate that it could implement most of the recommendations with the
proper resources, this legislation requires DOH to conduct a
feasibility study to determine the exact cost to implement these
recommendations. The study will examine the current safety and staff
guidelines relating to the creation and implementation of a new youth
counselor orientation and testing program, the establishment of
minimum standards of proficiency for counselors in water and
first-aid safety, and a review of the current counselor/camper ratio
for CPR. The study will also examine
the current requirements for local health inspectors and camp
directors.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
03/07/11 REFERRED TO HEALTH
01/04/12 REFERRED TO HEALTH

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect 90 days after it shall have become a law;
provided, however, that the Governor is authorized and directed to
appoint members to the state camp safety advisory council on or
before such effective date to fill any expired terms, vacancies or
additional member positions which shall exist on such date.

2011-S3849A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                 3849--A

                       2011-2012 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              March 7, 2011
                               ___________

Introduced by Sens. OPPENHEIMER, DIAZ -- read twice and ordered printed,
  and  when printed to be committed to the Committee on Health -- recom-
  mitted to the Committee on Health in accordance with  Senate  Rule  6,
  sec.  8  --  committee  discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
  amended and recommitted to said committee

AN ACT to amend the public health law, in relation to the membership  of
  the state camp safety advisory council; and to direct the commissioner
  of health to conduct a study of youth camp safety

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Section 1390 of the public health law, as amended by  chap-
ter 337 of the laws of 1980, is amended to read as follows:
  S  1390.  Establishment  of  state camp safety advisory council.   The
commissioner [of health] shall establish within the  [state]  department
[of  health]  a state camp safety advisory council to advise and consult
on policy matters relating to  youth  camp  safety.  The  council  shall
consist  of  [nine]  TWELVE members to be appointed by the governor with
the advice and consent of the senate. Three members of the council shall
be representatives of youth camps operated in New York for profit, three
members of the council shall be representatives of youth camps  operated
in  New York under philanthropic, non-profit or charitable auspices, one
member of the council shall be a representative of youth  camp  consumer
interests,  [one]  FOUR  MEMBERS  shall  be [a representative] REPRESEN-
TATIVES of children's interests who [does] DO not operate [a] children's
[camp] CAMPS, and one MEMBER shall be a  representative  of  summer  day
camps  and traveling summer day camps operated by municipal corporations
and other entities subject to article thirteen-D of  this  chapter.  The
council  shall  elect  from  among  its members a chairman. On or before
January first, nineteen hundred seventy-four, the governor shall appoint
two youth camp representative members for a term of two years, two youth
camp representative members for a term of four years and two youth  camp

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD05923-02-2

S. 3849--A                          2

representative  members  for  a term of six years. Biennially thereafter
the youth camp representative members shall be appointed to [said]  SUCH
council in like manner to succeed those whose terms expire, to serve for
terms  of  six  years each and until their successors are appointed. The
member representative of youth camp consumer interests shall also  serve
for a term of six years and until a successor is appointed. On or before
January  first,  nineteen hundred eighty-one, the governor shall appoint
[the] ONE representative of children's interests  for  a  term  of  four
years  and  the  representative of summer day camps and traveling summer
day camps operated by municipal corporations and other entities  subject
to  article  thirteen-D  of  this chapter for a term of two years. ON OR
BEFORE JULY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND THIRTEEN,  THE  GOVERNOR  SHALL  APPOINT
THREE  REPRESENTATIVES OF CHILDREN'S INTERESTS FOR A TERM OF FOUR YEARS.
Thereafter, each succeeding representative of children's  interests  and
each succeeding representative of [said] SUCH summer day camps and trav-
eling  summer  day  camps  shall serve terms of six years each and until
their successors are appointed. Vacancies shall be filled by the  gover-
nor for the unexpired portion of the term.  [Said] ALL EXPIRED TERMS AND
VACANCIES  SHALL  BE  FILLED  WITHIN SIXTY DAYS OF THE EXPIRATION OF THE
TERM OR OCCURRENCE OF THE VACANCY. SUCH  council  shall  meet  at  least
twice  a  year, and more often if necessary, on the call of the chairman
or on the call of the commissioner [of health]. The members of the coun-
cil shall receive no compensation but  shall  be  reimbursed  for  their
reasonable  traveling  and other expenses incurred in the performance of
their official duties.
  S 2. a. The commissioner of health shall conduct a study of the feasi-
bility of improving the statutes, rules and  regulations  governing  and
the  practices  utilized by youth camps. The commissioner shall include,
at a minimum, the following:
  (1) the feasibility of establishing a uniform,  standardized  training
and testing system for youth camp counselors including the establishment
of  minimum standards of proficiency in first aid and water safety. Such
study shall review the feasibility of developing  counselor  orientation
materials  and programs for use prior to the arrival of children partic-
ipating  in  the  camp.  Such  study  shall  also  review  the  required
counselor/camper ratio for cardio pulmonary resuscitation training;
  (2) the feasibility of providing periodic mandated workshops for local
health  inspectors  responsible  for the inspection of youth camp health
and safety regulations, as well as  the  monitoring  of  local  streams,
lakes,  rivers  and  other  bodies of water to warn the public and local
camps of hazardous water conditions; and
  (3) the feasibility of providing periodic mandated workshops for youth
camp directors.
  In studying the feasibility of establishing such workshops and  train-
ing,  the  commissioner  of  health  shall  estimate  the costs of these
programs and possible fees  that could be structured to support them.
  b. The commissioner of health shall submit a  report  of  his  or  her
findings  and recommendations, derived from the study conducted pursuant
to this section, to the governor and the legislature within one year  of
the effective date of this act.
  S  3.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
have become a law; provided, however, that the  governor  is  authorized
and  directed to appoint members to the state camp safety advisory coun-
cil on or before such effective date to fill any expired  terms,  vacan-
cies or additional member positions which shall exist on such date.

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Senate Bill S3849

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee

Actions

Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

2011-S3849 - Details

2011-S3849 - Summary

2011-S3849 - Sponsor Memo

2011-S3849 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

2011-S3849A (ACTIVE) - Details

2011-S3849A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2011-S3849A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2011-S3849A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

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Sponsored By

Suzi Oppenheimer

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee

Actions

Bill Amendments

co-Sponsors

Ruben Diaz

2011-S3849 - Details

2011-S3849 - Summary

2011-S3849 - Sponsor Memo

2011-S3849 - Bill Text download pdf

co-Sponsors

Ruben Diaz

2011-S3849A (ACTIVE) - Details

2011-S3849A (ACTIVE) - Summary

2011-S3849A (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2011-S3849A (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments