Enacts Article 25, GS Chapter 130A to establish a permit requirement for the operation of youth camps as follows. Includes seven defined terms. Defines youth camp as an unlicensed facility or property that provides structured recreational, athletic, religious, or educational opportunities to minors for for or more consecutive days, including residential, primitive, and day camps. Details permit issuance and renewal procedures by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Specifies that a permit satisfies any permit required by rules of the Commission for Public Health (Commission) for the operation of a youth camp but does not affect required permitting otherwise provided by law. Exempts religious sponsored child care facilities operating a day camp from permitting requirements, except specified sections related to cabins located in floodplains, emergency planning, and inspection and compliance requirements. Limits DHHS and or local health inspections and requests for records to compliance with these specified sections and specifically requires the exempt facilities to make documentation supporting floodplain and floodway determinations and required emergency planning parental notice available to DHHS and local health upon request.

Places administrative and oversight responsibility with DHHS and authorizes interlocal agreements. Directs the Commission to adopt implementing rules that must include camp classifications and minimum health and safety standards as described. Requires DHHS to coordinate inspections and enforcement with those of other State health and safety programs to the extent practicable. Directs the Commission to consult with the Division of Emergency Management of the Department of Public Safety (DEM) to adopt rules establishing a uniform method for determining and documenting floodplain determinations and floodway measurements for cabins on facility premises. Details require contents of the rules, including specifying floodplain mapping sources and flood hazard maps to be used, methods for taking measurements from a floodway, and record retention requirements. Establishes the Youth Camp Safety Multidisciplinary Team (team) to advise DHHS and the Commission. Provides for the composition of the nine-member team and lists six duties including reviewing anonymized program data and incident trends to recommend updates to guidance and training. Provides for team expenses and meetings.

States required content for permit applications including required emergency plans and floodplain and floodway documentation and proof of liability insurance. Requires DHHS to notify applicants within ten days of submission of whether the application is complete. Directs the Commission to establish a fee schedule for initial and renewal permits not to exceed $1,000, or $250 for reviews of updated applications, and review the schedule at least biennially. Establishes the Youth Camp Oversight Fund (Fund) within DHHS for fee collection with the limited purpose of supporting the Article's implementation. Requires DHHS remit 20% of each fee collected to the Fund and 80% to local health departments having jurisdiction over youth camps to support inspections and enforcement. Provides for late fees, suspension for nonpayment, and reinstatement fees. Requires DHHS to establish and maintain a list of permitted youth camps on its website.

Prohibits permitting a youth camp if any cabin on the premises is located in whole or in part within a floodplain unless the owner demonstrates either (1) the location is the result of proximity to a lake, pond, or other still body of water that is not connected to a watercourse or the body of water is dammed; or (2) each cabin is located at least 1,000 feet from a floodway. Requires permitted camps meeting this exception to install and maintain emergency ladders to access the cabin's roof and meet other standards required by rule. Requires religious sponsored child care facilities operating day camps to demonstrate any cabins located in floodplains meet either condition and maintain an emergency ladder in order to be used for lodging or sleeping. Directs the Commission to adopt rules establishing minimum standards for camper health, staffing, sanitation, water safety, emergency action, and incident reporting and recordkeeping. Requires coordination with other State health and safety programs to avoid duplication. Requires the Commission to adopt rules making campground safety requirements under the Article applicable to youth camps.

Requires youth camp operators to develop, implement, and maintain an emergency plan that meets 11 criteria. Requires the plan identify triggers for activating the plan's procedures, including National Weather Service warnings and State and local government directives. Requires operators to implement the plan when activation triggers occur as specified. Requires the plan designate an emergency preparedness coordinator. Directs the Commission to adopt rules requiring operators to provide and maintain for each camp warning and communication capabilities and annually certify that they have done so. Lists four required capabilities of these systems. Establishes a procedure for submission and DHHS review of the emergency plan, including an opportunity to revise a plan and resubmit for approval. Allows for DHHS to consult with applicable local health departments or municipal emergency management, as well as the team. Details required transmittal of approved emergency plans to county officials, and includes religious sponsored child care facilities operating day camps in the requirement. Directs DHHS to digitally store approved emergency plans and authorizes access to identified state and local entities. Requires youth camp operators to provide parents and legal guardians notice of emergency plans and any determination that a portion of the premises is located in a floodplain and require parents and guardians to sign an acknowledgement of receipt. Establishes camper safety orientation requirements and annual staff and volunteer emergency training. Requires each cabin have posted evacuation routes that are visible at night. Deems emergency plans confidential.

Provides for annual inspection of youth camps by local health departments or as needed to ensure compliance. Provides for limited inspection of religious sponsored child care facilities. Grants the DHHS Secretary and local health director right of entry for health and safety enforcement. Grants the DHHS Secretary enforcement authority and authorizes the Secretary and local health directors to issue administrative orders requiring corrective action or for immediate closure where imminent hazard exists. Requires local health directors to notify DHHS of enforcement actions. Provides an appeals process. Directs the Commission adopt rules to establish data and reporting requirements for youth camps where local departments submit data to DHHS and DHHS publishes an annual summary. Further directs DHHS to publish an annual summary of receipts and expenditures from the Fund.

Establishes safety and emergency planning requirements for campground operators. Includes five defined terms. Defines campground to mean a property that is designed to provide cabins or recreational vehicle sites for transient overnight occupancy or use. Defines campground operator as a person or governmental entity that owns, operates, controls, or supervises a campground, regardless of profit status. Requires campground operators to (1) install and maintain in each cabin located within a floodplain an emergency ladder that can access the cabin's roof; (2) develop an emergency plan that address evacuations and shelter in place scenarios as described; and (3) implement its emergency plan upon specified warnings issued by the National Weather Service or state or local government directives. Requires submission of emergency plans to local emergency management officials. Deems emergency plans confidential. Requires campground operators to maintain and make available for inspection by DHHS or local health departments documentation of Building Code approvals and inspections. Directs the Commission to adopt implementing rules in consultation with the Building Code Council and Office of the State Fire Marshal. Permits enforcement by DHHS and local health departments as specified. Requires coordinated inspections and enforcement where a campground is part of a youth camp.

Amends GS 130A-22 to authorize the DHHS Secretary or local health director to assess a penalty of up to $1,000 for any violation of youth camp laws or rules after consideration of described factors. 

Amends GS 130A-248 to require DHHS and local health departments to coordinate youth camp permitting and inspections with that of food and lodging.

Requires the Commission to adopt permanent implementing rules and allows for the adoption of temporary rules. Requires consultation with the Building Code Council and Office of the State Fire Marshal. Prohibits conflict with the State Building Code. Requires conforming rule amendments. Requires temporary rules be adopted and effective by March 1, 2027, and permanent rules by October 1, 2027. Limits compliance dates in temporary rules to at least 30 days after the rules' effective date.

Directs DHHS to make available forms, templates, instructions and electronic submission processes; establish an emergency plan database; and provide guidance and training materials to local health departments before temporary rules become effective. Specifies that youth camp operators or religious sponsored child care facilities operating day camps are not require to submit an emergency plan before 60 days after the date temporary rules become effective. Makes the permit requirement effective 60 days after the date temporary rules become effective. Allows for permitting without emergency plan approval through December 31, 2027, if described requirements are met, and requires approval for permitting on and after January 1, 2028. Requires DHHS to establish the online list of permitted youth camps upon the issuance of permits. Begins annual inspection of permitted youth camps on or after January 1, 2028. Provides for appointment and designation of team members within 30 days of the date the act becomes law with the team's first meeting within 60 days of when the act becomes law. Allows for rulemaking, guidance development, coordination and implementation activities to begin on the date the act becomes law.

Appropriates $500,000 in recurring funds from the General Fund to DHHS for implementation. Authorizes DHHS to establish up to four positions with appropriated funds. Effective July 1, 2026.