HB 2398 — An Act amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in general provisions relating to government and administration, providing for flood evacuation plans for organized camps.

PRINTER'S NO.     3218

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 2398
                                               Session of
                                                 2026

     INTRODUCED BY T. DAVIS, MADDEN, HILL-EVANS, SHUSTERMAN, PROBST,
        McNEILL, OTTEN, SANCHEZ, HOWARD, D. WILLIAMS, GILLEN,
        CERRATO, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ AND WARREN, APRIL 16, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
        PREPAREDNESS, APRIL 16, 2026


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in general provisions relating to
 3      government and administration, providing for flood evacuation
 4      plans for organized camps.
 5      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 6   hereby enacts as follows:
 7      Section 1.    Title 53 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
 8   Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
 9   § 1144.   Flood evacuation plans for organized camps.
10      (a)    Evacuation plans.--The governing body of each
11   municipality shall require the operator of an organized camp
12   located within 500 feet of a special flood hazard area to
13   prepare and maintain a written flood evacuation plan for the
14   camp premises.
15      (b)    Filing and review.--The operator of an organized camp
16   shall file a copy of the flood evacuation plan with the
17   municipality and the county emergency management agency and
18   shall review and update the plan annually before the camp opens
 1   for the camp season.
 2      (c)   Posting and distribution.--The operator of an organized
 3   camp shall have the following duties:
 4            (1)   Post a diagram or summary of evacuation routes and
 5      safe locations in each sleeping or dining facility within the
 6      camp premises.
 7            (2)   Provide a copy or summary of the flood evacuation
 8      plan to adult campers or parents or guardians of children and
 9      youth campers before each camp season.
10      (d)   Enforcement.--A municipality may condition the issuance
11   or renewal of any license, permit or zoning approval for an
12   organized camp on compliance with this section.
13      (e)   Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
14   words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
15   subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
16      "Operator."    A person who owns or manages an organized camp.
17      "Organized camp."    As defined in section 1 of the act of
18   November 10, 1959 (P.L.1400, No.497), entitled "An act providing
19   for the annual registration of organized camps for children,
20   youth and adults; defining the duties of the Department of
21   Health of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and prescribing
22   penalties."
23      "Special flood hazard area."     Land in a floodplain having a
24   1% or greater annual probability of flooding as identified by
25   the Federal Emergency Management Agency on a Flood Insurance
26   Rate Map or Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map.
27      Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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