A bill creating a liability shield encouraging private landowners to provide public recreation access on their property is headed to Gov. Jared Polis after passing unanimously in the Colorado House of Representatives on Friday. The bill had already passed in the Senate.
Two similar attempts to strengthen Colorado’s Recreational Use Statute (CRUS) had failed in previous years, leading some landowners to close their properties to hikers, runners, climbers and anglers for fear that they could be held liable for injuries on their land.
Most notably, access to five of the state’s famed 14,000-foot peaks was affected, and outdoors activists feared more land would be closed to recreation without legislative action.
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The bill passed Friday clarifies landowner responsibilities, and only requires them to warn the public of known hazards on their land with signs at trailheads. Passage was spearheaded by an alliance of outdoors groups known as the Fix CRUS Coalition. It includes the Colorado Mountain Club, the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, the American Alpine Club and The Nature Conservancy.
“The Fix CRUS Coalition is thrilled with the passage of SB 58 which strengthens liability protections for landowners, encouraging increased access to public and private land for hiking, biking, rock climbing and the other activities that make Colorado a great place to live and play,” said Anneliese Steel, who chairs the Fix CRUS Coalition, according to a news release.
“Outdoor recreation is foundational to living in Colorado. With passage of SB 58, the Colorado Legislature has boosted liability protections for private landowners while fostering a climate that should help maintain and expand access to private lands for recreation,” she added.