Act NOW to keep recreation lands open

Dear Friends of Connecticut’s Natural Resources,

Thanks to the hundreds of people like you who either showed up or submitted testimony at the Judiciary Committee on Monday (4/4)!  Your involvement gives us a fighting chance.

However, if H.B. 6557 — An Act Concerning Liability for the Recreational Use of Lands — is not voted on by the Judiciary Committee before the Committee’s April 15^thdeadline, it will die.

To keep this effort alive, please contact your State Representative and Senator and ask them to do the following:

1. Make contact with the Co-Chairs of the Judiciary Committee – Senator Eric Coleman (D-Bloomfield, Windsor) and Representative Gerald Fox (D-Stamford); and
2. Ask the Co-Chairs to hold a vote on H.B. 6557 — An Act Concerning Liability for the Recreational Use of Lands — before the upcoming Committee “JF deadline” ofApril 15^th.

If your State Representative or Senator serves on the Judiciary Committee, your action may be even more valuable.  For the full list of Judiciary Committee Members with emails and the towns they represent, click here.

If you want talking points on why we think this issue is so critical, here are a few:

• Municipalities (including municipal agencies such as the MDC, municipal water companies, etc.) need to be protected from frivolous lawsuits or they will close recreational lands or start charging fees to cover their potential liability and legal expenses;
• Healthy outdoor recreation is good for everyone, good for our communities and good for our state. It reduces healthcare costs and promotes all around well-being; and
• The current law is inconsistent: if one hikes, runs or bicycles on a trail that passes through various private, municipal, and state landowners, it makes no sense for only private and state landowners to be protected from liability. All landowners, including municipalities, should have the same protections and encouragement under the law.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact me.  For more information about recreational liability or other priorities on CFPA’s conservation agenda for 2011, pleasevisit our website.