05/11/1998 04:05 PM Senate L&C

         SENATE LABOR AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE                                   
                     May 11, 1998                                              
                      4:05 P.M.                                                
                                                                               
MEMBERS PRESENT                                                                
                                                                               
Senator Loren Leman, Chairman                                                  
Senator Jerry Mackie, Vice Chairman                                            
Senator Tim Kelly                                                              
Senator Mike Miller                                                            
                                                                               
MEMBERS ABSENT                                                                 
                                                                               
Senator Lyman Hoffman                                                          
                                                                               
COMMITTEE CALENDAR                                                             
                                                                               
SENATE CS FOR CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 12(TRA)                                    
"An Act relating to civil liability for commercial recreational                
activities and certain skating and cycling activities; and                     
providing for an effective date."                                              
                                                                               
     - PASSED SCS CSHB 12(TRA) FROM COMMITTEE                                  
                                                                               
PREVIOUS SENATE COMMITTEE ACTION                                               
                                                                               
HB 12 - No previous action to record.                                          
                                                                               
WITNESS REGISTER                                                               
                                                                               
Mr. Darwin Peterson, Aide                                                      
Representative Gary Davis                                                      
State Capitol Bldg.                                                            
Juneau, AK 99811-1182                                                          
POSITION STATEMENT: Aide to sponsor of HB 12.                                  
                                                                               
Mr. Kevin Ritchie                                                              
Alaska Municipal League                                                        
217 2nd Street                                                                 
Juneau, AK 99801                                                               
POSITION STATEMENT: Supported HB 12.                                           
                                                                               
ACTION NARRATIVE                                                               
                                                                               
TAPE 98-29, SIDE A                                                             
                                                                               
Number 001                                                                     
                                                                               
              HB 12 - IMMUNITY FOR EQUINE ACTIVITIES                           
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN LEMAN called the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee                  
meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. and announced HB 12 to be up for                 
consideration.                                                                 
                                                                               
MR. DARWIN PETERSON, Aide to Representative Gary Davis, said HB 12             
was introduced to provide some protection and an increased degree              
of immunity from civil liability lawsuits for operators of                     
commercial recreational activities and for municipalities that                 
engage in skating and cycling parks.  He reviewed the two sections             
of the bill for the Committee.                                                 
                                                                               
MR. PETERSON said the Alaska Municipal League supports this                    
legislation because a lot of communities want to open up skate                 
board and cycling parks, but are reluctant to do so because of the             
liability.                                                                     
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN LEMAN asked if the bill still included equine activities              
as it had when introduced.                                                     
                                                                               
MR. PETERSON said it was broadened to include all outdoor                      
commercial recreational activities.                                            
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN LEMAN asked who changed the bill.                                     
                                                                               
MR. PETERSON answered that the House passed the version that                   
included commercial recreational activities and municipalities.  It            
was amended on the House floor to include municipalities.                      
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN LEMAN asked what changed in Senate Transportation.                    
                                                                               
MR. PETERSON answered there was one amendment on page 1, line 5                
where they deleted, "persons who operate" and inserted "operators              
of" to provide conformity throughout the whole legislation, so a               
municipality could be covered for all activities, like rock                    
climbing.                                                                      
                                                                               
Number 70                                                                      
                                                                               
MR. KEVIN RITCHIE, Alaska Municipal League, said this has been a               
priority issue for the Municipal League and the Conference of                  
Mayors for a number of years.                                                  
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN LEMAN asked if anyone was opposed to this bill.  There was            
no indication of any.                                                          
                                                                               
SENATOR KELLY moved to pass SCSCSHB 12(TRA) from Committee with                
individual recommendations.  There were no objections and it was so            
ordered.                                                                       
                                                                               
CHAIRMAN LEMAN adjourned the meeting at 4:10 p.m.