Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick sent a letter to the Texas Department of State Health Services on Monday, urging the state agency not to issue a 2026 camping license to Camp Mystic in light of last summer’s flood disaster that killed 27 girls and the camp owner.
The letter comes as Camp Mystic prepares to reopen for the 2026 summer season, something Patrick vehemently opposes.
“It would be naive to allow Camp Mystic to return to normal operations before all of the facts are known,” the Republican lieutenant governor wrote to Jennifer Shuford, who leads the agency responsible for inspecting and licensing summer camps in the state. “Camp Mystic should have decided on their own to suspend operations this coming summer, but it appears they are planning for camp in 2026 and will likely be seeking your approval to operate with a renewed license.”
Camping licenses in Texas last for one year. Camp Mystic’s license is valid until March 6, according to a new federal lawsuit filed by some of the victims’ families against Shuford and other state officials.
The camp has not yet submitted a license renewal application for this year, an agency spokesperson told the New York Times without commenting on the pending litigation. When the camp submits it, Patrick expects the state to withhold the camp’s new license due to the flood tragedy last July.
Among the casualties were 25 young girls, two teenage counselors, and the camp’s executive director.
Patrick criticized the private Christian summer camp for not acknowledging their deaths on its website, which still has the name of the executive director as if he were still alive.
“I would not feel comfortable sending my grandchildren to a camp where 27 young girls lost their lives less than a year ago, particularly while key questions remain unanswered,” he wrote.
The lieutenant governor mentioned that investigative committees in the Texas Senate and the Texas House will meet this spring to discuss the facts surrounding the case. No date was provided.
In a final plea, Patrick concluded the letter by telling Shuford to refrain from granting Camp Mystic its license “until all legislative investigations are completed and any necessary corrective actions are taken.”
Also on Monday, the parents of nine victims who died in the catastrophic flash floods filed the latest lawsuit concerning Camp Mystic, which was not named as a party in the court filing. It asserts that Texas health officials bear responsibility for approving Camp Mystic’s past license renewal applications, while the camp had no evacuation plan in place in the event of a flood.
“Young campers and counselors were killed because the camp had no plan,” the lawsuit states. “The camp is responsible, but so are the state officials who helped create this inexcusable risk to life by directing and executing a policy of non-compliance with Texas law.”
FAMILIES OF TEXAS FLOOD VICTIMS SUE CAMP MYSTIC FOR WRONGFUL DEATH AND NEGLIGENCE
In the aftermath of the flood disaster, Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) signed three bills into law that required camps to move cabins away from floodplains and to post clear evacuation routes in every cabin, among other safety requirements.
Patrick publicly pushed for the new legislation. He remains a key advocating voice within the state government on behalf of the victims’ families.
