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Patrick Stunned by Camp Mystic Reboot
as New House and Senate Probes Launch
Capitol Inside
October 13, 2025
The Texas Legislature's top two leaders
got simultaneous investigations under way on Monday in an attempt to determine how and why a swath of the Hill County was amazingly unprepared for flooding on the Guadalupe River that left hundreds dead in its wake on the nation's birthday in July.
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Texas Speaker Dustin Burrows announced their selections for House and Senate General Investigating Committees on the July 2025 Flooding Events in unison late this afternon with a majority of the seats reserved for rural Republicans. The panels will have subpoena powers and other tools at their disposals in tandem quests for the truth about what went wrong on July 4th.
“In July, Texans were deeply saddened by the deadly flooding on the Guadalupe River, where amongst many others, 27 vibrant young girls were lost from one camp, Camp Mystic,” Patrick said. “I was shocked to see Camp Mystic begin signing up campers for next year with so many questions unanswered about what happened that fateful morning."
Camp Mystic took the worst hit in the storm when more than two dozen young girls were swept to their deaths without any warnings from the facility's leaders, state or local law enforcement or other sources. One 9-year-old camper has yet to be recovered.
Patrick tapped GOP State Senator Charles Perry of Lubbock as the special Senate investigating panel's chairman while naming Republican State Senator Pete Flores of Pleasanton as the co-chair. A pair of powerful Patrick allies - Republican State Senators Bryan Hughes of Mineola and Lois Kolkhorst of Brenham - was appointed the flood probe panel along with a lone Democrat in State Senator Jose Menendez of San Antonio.
Hughes is the only member of that group who did not serve on a select Senate committee that was created a week after the tragedy to consider disaster relief measure in special session. Perry chaired the special panel that worked on legislation while Flores served as the vice-chair.
Burrows picked GOP State Rep. Morgan Meyer of Dallas to chair the special investigating committee for the flood with Democratic State Rep. Joe Moody of El Paso in the number two slot as the vice-chairman. The speaker added Republican State Rep. Drew Darby of San Angelo and Paul Dyson of Bryan to the panel along with Democratic State Rep. Erin Gamez of Brownsville. Moody and Darby are the only holdovers from a select House committee that handled flood preparedness and relief in two special sessions during the summer.
All of the House members who the speaker selected for the general investigating panel are attorneys. But Hughes is the only lawyer on the Senate counterpart committee.
“As Texans work to rebuild and recover, it is the responsibility of the legislature to understand what went wrong and ensure our state is better prepared for future emergencies. While progress was made during the second special session to bolster Texans’ safety, the magnitude of this tragedy demands a comprehensive and thorough review. The House investigating committee will work alongside our Senate partners to examine the contributing factors to the devastation at Camp Mystic and identify ways to strengthen the state’s preparedness and response to flooding and other natural disasters."
While Meyer was not a member of the select House committee on flood-related issues during the summer sessions, Burrows expressed his appreciation to him and the colleagues for their upcoming service in the investigation.
"I want to thank Chairman Morgan Meyer and members of the House committee for their commitment to enhancing the safety of communities across the state and our Senate counterparts for their partnership in this important effort. Together, the House and Senate will work to make sure Texas emerges stronger, safer, and more resilient than ever.”
more to come ...
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