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House approves liability limits for hockey facilities after objections from peers
Summary
The Utah House passed Senate Bill 181 to limit liability for hockey facility owners but removed earlier floor amendments that members said left operators insufficient protection and imposed signage requirements; opponents criticized elevating hockey above other sports and changes to pleading standards.
The House on March 3 voted to advance Senate Bill 181, a measure limiting owner/operator liability for hockey facilities while striking several recently adopted floor amendments that members said constrained protection and imposed signage requirements.
Representative Curtis, who moved to uncircle the bill and delete the prior pink‑sheet amendments, told the House the original floor amendments left proprietors with “limited protection” while still requiring signage. “If we’re gonna live with the limited protection, then let’s take the requirement that the government’s mandating that we put up the signs,” Curtis said, urging the body to remove the pink‑sheet amendments and resolve the bill on an up‑or‑down vote.
Opponents pointed to drafting problems and fairness across sports: one member argued the bill created a “strange pleading requirement” by elevating hockey above other sports and altering typical negligence standards, urging defeat. The House debated whether the standard of liability was changed and whether the legislation would let plaintiffs plead only negligence or would raise/alter pleading requirements such as willful and wanton conduct.
After discussion and waiver of summation, voting concluded and the Clerk announced the bill passed the House with a tally of 47 yes and 18 no. The bill will be transmitted to the Senate for further action and the journal entry was recorded.
