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Committee recommends liability protection amendments adding 'via ferrata' and target-shooting to recreational waiver
Summary
A committee voted unanimously to pass HB 98, an amendment expanding landowner liability protections for certain recreational activities to explicitly include via ferrata routes and target shooting; witnesses representing farmers and shooting organizations supported the change.
The House Economic Development Committee unanimously recommended HB 98, amendments to landowner-liability provisions that explicitly list two activities — via ferrata and target shooting — among covered recreational pursuits that limit a property owner's liability to visitors.
Sponsor remarks described the bill as a narrow expansion to avoid future litigation over whether newer recreational activities fit under the statute. "I'm just adding two clarifying activities into the bill," the sponsor told the committee, explaining via ferrata (Italian for "iron way") is a protected recreational route increasingly installed in the U.S. and that target shooting had produced recent local disputes over liability.
No members of the public attended in person to speak against the bill, but online commenters included Terry Camp of the Utah Farm Bureau Federation, who called it a "win-win for recreationists and land owners," and Clark Caposian of the Utah Shooting Sports Council, who asked whether the proposal covered trespass as well as permitted use. The sponsor confirmed the language covers both trespassing and permitted use scenarios and said the amendment treats public and private land the same for the recreational waiver.
Representative Jack moved passage with a favorable recommendation; the committee adopted the motion and passed HB 98 unanimously.
The bill is intended to reduce litigation risk for landowners who provide or allow recreational access, by enumerating activities that would be barred from triggering liability claims under the recreational-use provisions in state code. Committee members discussed that local municipal ordinances restricting activities such as target shooting would not be overridden; the bill provides an additional protection rather than preemption of local rules.
The committee sent HB 98 to the full House with a favorable recommendation.
Votes at a glance: HB 98 — motion to pass with a favorable recommendation (mover: Representative Jack); committee voted unanimously to pass.
