Dear Camp Operators, Parents, and Interested Members of the Public,
On June 28, 2022, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance amending the County Health and Safety Code, Title 11 - to require all Children's Camps operating for four weeks or less to register and Children's Camps that operate more than four weeks to obtain a permit with LA County Department of Public Health. Children's Camps must submit a Notice of Intent and Written Operating Procedures before operation. The ordinance is known as the "Elena Matyas Children's Camp Safety Ordinance," in honor Elena Matyas, the mother of 6-year-old Roxie Forbes, who drowned at the swimming pool of a children's summer day camp in Los Angeles County.
Read Elena Matyas Children's Camp Safety Ordinance
The new ordinance requirements will go into effect on January 1, 2023. To allow for additional time to comply with the new requirements, enforcement of the ordinance will commence on March 1, 2023. Leading up to this date, the Department of Public Health will focus on educating camp operators, conducting workshops, and holding open houses for question answering. Thank you for your contributions in this important effort to enhance the safety of children in Los Angeles County.
Last Updated: 2022-07-27
To learn more about Public Health's Children's Camps Program, which inspects camps annually to ensure safety standards are met, please visit our Children's Camp page.
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