HB 544 TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE SENATE AS EARLY AS MONDAY APRIL 16TH

On Tuesday March 27th the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee reported House Bill 544 with additional amendments requested by the trial lawyers association. The changes made by the amendment offered by Sen. Yaw amended to definition of land by creating a new sentence embracing the changes sought by the Fishing and Boat Commission.

In addition, the amendment struck language in the definition of recreational purpose added by Representative John Maher in the House that added language, ‘creation, mapping, and maintenance of trails’.

The bill is currently on the Senate calendar on second consideration and could be voted when the Senate returns the week of April 16. Senator John Eichelberger has agreed to offer an amendment that would restate the attorney reimbursement language contained in the initial printer’s number of the bill. The amendment will read:

Section 7.1. The court shall award attorney fees and direct legal costs to an owner of land who is deemed not liable for the injury to a person or property

occurring on the land.

PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR MEMBER(S) OF THE SENATE ENCOURAGING THEIR SUPPORT OF SENATOR EICHELBERGER’S AMENDMENT. MAKE YOUR CONTACTS BY EMAIL OR PHONE CALL. THERE IS NO TIME FOR LETTERS. PLEASE MAKE YOUR CONTACTS BY THE FIRST THING MONDAY MORNING, APRIL 16TH.

This is the opportunity we have been looking for. We may not get another one this year.