Support SB 179
On March 3, the Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously passed SB 179 out of committee. This bill would make the temporary changes to the recreational immunity statue enacted in 2024 permanent. This is a priority bill for SDAO and our members.
Recreational immunity provides immunity to landowners from claims of personal injury or property damage when the landowner has made the land available to the public for recreational purposes without a fee, and the claim arises from a person’s use of the land for the principal purpose of recreation. These temporary changes were necessitated after the Oregon Supreme Court remanded a case entitled Fields v. City of Newport, in which a plaintiff sued the City of Newport because at the time of her injury, the trail was an “improved trail”, and she was “walking” at the time of the injury rather than recreating as she tried to access the beach. SB 179, if passed, will provide some predictability that many of our members will be able to continue to enjoy.
The full Senate could vote on this measure in the next week or so. Reach out to your Senator or Representative and let them know that you want the temporary changes made permanent and support SB 179. Your voice makes a difference.