by Joe Neville, KTA Executive Director
HB 544 (Moul, R-Adams) will amend the state’s recreational use of land liability law in order to expand its protections for landowners and ensure that legal fees are covered for property owners who are found not liable for injuries to recreational users.
Commonly known as the Recreational Use of Land and Water Act, Act 586 of 1965 limits the legal liability for landowners who open their land for public recreational use at no charge. The goal is to provide an incentive for landowners to allow their land to be used for recreational purposes such as hunting, fishing, hiking and boating.
The bill will expand the language of the law to include various property improvements and cover all recreational activities undertaken for exercise, education and pleasure, including snowmobiling and ATV and motorcycle riding. The bill also adds a section requiring courts to award attorney fees and legal costs to landowners found not to be liable for an injury pursuant to this law.
For more information, feel free to contact KTA: 717.238.7017 / jneville@kta-hike.org