After the tragic floods in Central Texas, I was honored to be appointed to the Senate Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding. Since the floods took place, we traveled to Kerrville and other communities scared by loss. We sat with families who had lost loved ones and homes, first responders who risked their lives, and local officials left to pick up the pieces. We heard about outdated systems, late warnings, and plans that weren’t ready when disaster struck.
Those conversations were raw and often heartbreaking. Parents relived the worst days of their lives so that other families might be spared. Their courage and honesty left a mark on all of us. It was clear that the system had failed them — and that their voices had to shape how we moved forward.
Among the stories that will stay with me forever are those of the “Heaven’s 27,” the girls whose lives were cut short at Camp Mystic on July 4. Their absence is felt not only by their families but across Texas.
The bills we passed this year are not only for Heaven’s 27, but for all 135 lives lost in the Central Texas floods. They are for every parent who dropped their child off at camp and expected them to come home. They are for every family who woke to rising water and no warning. They are for every community that lost its sense of safety.
From these stories came the “camp bills,” Senate Bill 1 and House Bill 1, which strengthen safety standards, training, and early-warning systems at youth camps across Texas. These laws cannot bring back the girls we lost, but they will make camps safer for every child. They are proof that grief can be transformed into action.
Other measures followed the same principle. Senate Bill 3 improves flood-risk mapping and early-warning systems statewide, so communities get information in time to act. Senate Bill 5 invests in infrastructure and mitigation projects so neighborhoods can shore up before storms hit. Senate Bill 18 strengthens emergency management training and communication. House Bill 20 gives local governments more tools to respond and recover quicker. Each of these laws were created and passed because Texans spoke up and demanded better.
And these changes matter far beyond Central Texas.
We in West Texas know what it means when water overwhelms a community. In 2006, El Paso endured catastrophic flooding that damaged homes, schools, and roads. Two years after that, Presidio residents watched the Rio Grande spill over its banks, cutting off neighborhoods and forcing families to evacuate. Those floods showed that even our arid desert region is vulnerable and that local officials need real-time data, stronger infrastructure, and state support to keep people safe.
These laws protect all Texans. They give every community across Texas the tools to prepare, respond, and recover, so when the next storm comes, families aren’t left without warning or help.
No piece of legislation can erase tragedy or heal every wound. But the families who shared their pain have left a lasting mark on Texas policy. Their courage has reminded every lawmaker, me included, that our job is more than passing bills. It is about protecting families, honoring lives lost, and making sure tragedy doesn’t repeat itself.
Camp Mystic will always be a somber place. Yet it also stands as a symbol of what can happen when grief leads to action. The girls remembered as “Heaven’s 27” should still be with us. We can’t change that. But we can make sure their lives, and the lives of all 135 Texans lost in those floods, continue to protect others. That is our responsibility, and through the bills we passed this special session, it’s one Texas will continue to keep.
César J. Blanco is Texas state senator for District 29.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: OPINION: Turning grief into action, ‘camp bills’ improve safety across Texas
Reporting by César J. Blanco / El Paso Times
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