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Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Print number 4615a
- Amend and recommit to health
- Referred to health
- Referred to health
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Provides no exception may be granted to a summer day camp which is dedicated to a single activity if that activity meets the criteria of a nonpassive recreational activity with significant risk of injury
In Assembly Committee · Health · Sponsor Amy Paulin
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S4615A
Title of bill
An act to amend the public health law, in relation to single-purpose day camps
Purpose or general idea of bill
To amend the definition of "summer day camp" to include camps dedicated to a single activity that meets the criteria of a non-passive recreational activity with significant risk of injury.
Summary of specific provisions
Section one amends subdivision two of section 1392 of the public health law to clarify that the definition of "summer day camp" includes camps which engage in any indoor or outdoor organized group activities involving one or more non-passive recreational activities with significant risk of injury. Section one also provides that the commissioner is not permitted to grant an exception from the public health law and sanitary code requirements to a summer day camp which is dedicated to a single activity if that activity meets the criteria of a non-passive recreational activity with significant risk of injury.
Section two provides that this act shall take effect April 1, 2013.
Justification
As currently written, the definition of "summer day camp" does not include camps dedicated to a single activity, such as a football camp. Instead, the law states that a summer day camp must involve "non-passive recreational activities with significant risk of injury," which has been interpreted as requiring at least two such activities. As a result, camps which are dedicated to only one non-passive recreational activity with significant risk of injury are completely unregulated. These single-purpose camps are subject to neither the health and safety requirements in Article 13-B of the public health law, nor to the regulations governing summer day camps in the sanitary code.
There are many single-purpose camps in which children engage in activities with a substantial risk of serious injury. For example, the New York Times recently published an article about the increasing popularity of carpentry and woodworking camps entitled "Kindergarten Shop Class."(1) In these camps, children use power tools, including saws to create their projects. A more common example of a single-purpose summer day camp is a football or hockey camp, which poses a significant risk of injury due to the contact nature of the sport.
This legislation will close the loophole in the current law to ensure that children attending all summer day camps are protected.
Legislative history
This is a new bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect April 1, 2013.
Footnote
(1) Scelfo, Julie. "Kingergarten Shop Class."March 30, 2012.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.