The Wyoming House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday that would change the placement of liability from ski area operators to skiers and recreationalists.
All ten of the state’s ski operators are in support of the bill, as well as the Wyoming Business Alliance. In a press release, the Alliance said the bill would be especially beneficial to smaller operators who might suffer from lawsuits.
Lawyers and Advocates for Wyoming spokesperson Mark Aronowitz said his organization strongly opposes the bill. Aronowitz said if the bill passes, ski areas would no longer have an incentive to limit or eliminate risk, and it would undo the sense of balance created over decades by the Wyoming Recreational Safety Act.
House Bill 32 would also limit the time frame for which a recreationalist would be able to bring a civil case against ski area operators. The bill now heads to the Senate for further debate.