{"id":304200,"date":"2025-10-15T02:23:18","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T02:23:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/304200\/"},"modified":"2025-10-15T02:23:18","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T02:23:18","slug":"new-legislative-panels-will-investigate-facts-and-circumstances-of-deadly-central-texas-floods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/304200\/","title":{"rendered":"New legislative panels will investigate ‘facts and circumstances’ of deadly Central Texas floods"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AA hearing attendee labels a map of the Guadalupe River during a joint committee hearing at the Hill Country Youth Event Center on July 31, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. Credit: Texas Tribune \/ Ronaldo Bola\u00f1os<\/p>\n

Sign up for The Brief<\/a>, The Texas Tribune\u2019s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.<\/p>\n

Top Republicans in the Texas Legislature have announced the creation of committees tasked with \u201cgetting to the bottom of\u201d the July flooding that killed more than 130 people, including 25 young girls and two teenage counselors at Camp Mystic.<\/p>\n

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick<\/a> and House Speaker Dustin Burrows<\/a> introduced on Monday the Senate and House General Investigating Committees on the July 2025 Flooding Events. They said the panels, which will meet jointly, will study \u201cthe facts and circumstances surrounding the July flooding,\u201d including identifying ways to bolster Texas\u2019 preparedness and responses to natural disasters as well as examining actions taken at youth summer camps.<\/p>\n

\u201cCamp Mystic has not spoken publicly on the record as to what happened that morning,\u201d Patrick said in a news release. \u201cThey will be invited to testify, as will others involved in this flooding event.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lieutenant governor also said he was \u201cshocked\u201d that Camp Mystic already has a re-opening plan for next year amid unanswered questions. The camp\u2019s officials said last month<\/a> they would welcome campers back to their Cypress Lake site, which sits uphill from the Guadalupe River and didn\u2019t sustain flood damage. Parents of the campers and counselors killed in the flood, however, have criticized the plan.<\/p>\n

In a statement, Camp Mystic said it looks forward to working with the panels and \u201chelping them and the public more fully understand the facts of what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

The committees were created by<\/a> legislation<\/a> passed during this year\u2019s second special session over the summer. The state Legislature also advanced several flood-related bills<\/a> during this period that address camp safety, flood warnings and disaster response funding.<\/p>\n

Patrick named Republican Sens. Pete Flores<\/a> of Pleasanton and Charles Perry<\/a> of Lubbock as committee chair and vice chair, respectively. Other members include Republican Sens. Bryan Hughes<\/a> of Mineola and Lois Kolkhorst<\/a> of Brenham as well as Democratic Sen. Jos\u00e9 Men\u00e9ndez<\/a> of San Antonio.<\/p>\n

In the House, Burrows appointed Republican state Rep. Morgan Meyer<\/a> of University Park as chair and Democratic state Rep. Joe Moody<\/a> of El Paso as vice chair. Republican state Reps. Drew Darby<\/a> of San Angelo and Paul Dyson<\/a> of Bryan as well as Democratic state Rep. Erin Gamez<\/a> of Brownsville are also part of the committee.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile progress was made during the second special session to bolster Texans\u2019 safety, the magnitude of this tragedy demands a comprehensive and thorough review,\u201d Burrows said in a news release.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared in the Texas Tribune<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.<\/p>\n

Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Follow us:\u00a0Apple News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Google News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0NewsBreak<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Reddit<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Facebook\u00a0<\/a>| Twitter<\/a>\u00a0| Or sign up for our\u00a0RSS Feed<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Related Stories<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Trump\u2019s\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tA former FEMA official warns the nation may have to \u2018painfully relearn the lessons of Hurricane Katrina.\u2019\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"San\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tThe free tickets are part of the Zoo Cares: Together for Texans campaign.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Critics\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\tAbbott wasn\u2019t directly involved in putting on singer George Strait\u2019s benefit show, and social media users blasted the governor for prioritizing redistricting ahead of flood relief.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t