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HRATS Update: Important update on current liability legislation and how it may impact our local trails

By White Lotus Sports on February 28, 2026 • ( 0 )

Hello Trail Lovers,

While we love to share the stoke in our communications, the following email from the Oregon Trails Coalition summarizes the issue with SB 1517-7 which has the potential to jeopardize many of our trail activities from stewardship and maintenance to recreational use. Please read the below email and consider taking any of the actions Oregon Trails Coalition advocates. Negative consequences from the current path the bill is on could be significant.

The Email from the Oregon Trails Coalition starts below:

Action Alert: Tell Your Legislators that Yesterday’s Senate Vote May Put Trails Organizations, Businesses, and Public Agencies at Even Greater Risk!

Skip the Background and Take Action Below Now!

Despite overwhelming opposition from the outdoor recreation and conservation communities, today the Senate passed SB 1517-7, and the Senate Majority Office issued a press release making the audacious and erroneous claim that “Senate Votes to Make Recreation Safe, Affordable, and Insurable.”

We are fuming.

We understand that it’s a delicate balance to protect both the rights of individuals participating in outdoor recreation and stewardship activities with inherent risks while also protecting the rights of organizations and business providing those opportunities so they an continue to operate in Oregon. We’ve come to the last three legislative sessions ready for a robust discussion about what a balanced recreation liability law should look like. SB 1517-7 in its current form is not that law. Yesterday’s press release claims the legislation has potential to lower insurance costs in Oregon, when several insurers and legal experts went on the record in testimony against the bill demonstrating otherwise.

Oregon Trails Coalition’s concerns with the SB 1517-7 that we have shared with leadership are as follows:

SB 1517-7 does not address the liability risk or insurance issues of organizations focused primarily on trails stewardship and restoration activities. Maintenance and restoration are not covered in the list of recreation operators’ activities, while outdoor stewardship work carries the same kind of risks of other outdoor recreation activities that individuals sign waivers to acknowledge risks of to participate in.
The long list of exceptions to claims that can be included in activity waivers leaves Oregon’s trails-related non-profit organizations, guides and outfitters, and public agencies holding an untenable level of liability risk. We fully support the exception for “claims for greater than ordinary negligence, including gross negligence, reckless conduct, willful misconduct or intentional acts.” We believe some of the other exemptions could put non-profit organizations working to increase safe access to the outdoors and fostering volunteer stewardship of our public lands at even greater risk than the current laws. Non-profits are often operating on public lands and using public equipment and must not be held liable for environmental hazards.
Lastly for any law passed to rebalance Oregon’s recreation liability laws, we would like to see the inclusion of all waivers signed by legal guardians included, not just those for minors. We put great value on all Oregonians having access to outdoor recreation and all members of our families participating together in outdoor recreation and stewardship activities as is safe and appropriate.

Meanwhile SB 1593-A, the bill that has solid protections for our partnerswhether they’re doing stewardship work or leading recreation programming, continues to await a hearing in Senate Rules.

Even if if you’ve already taken action on this issue already this, session (thank you!):

Email Leadership + Your Legislators Today!

Step 1: Copy and paste the following email addresses + your state senator’s and representative’s emails into your to field: Rep.JulieFahey@oregonlegislature.gov,
Rep.BenBowman@oregonlegislature.gov, Sen.KayseJama@oregonlegislature.gov, Sen.RobWagner@oregonlegislature.gov, Look up your senator and representative.
Step 2: Copy and paste and feel free to customize the below email

Subject: SB 1517-7 Puts Outdoor Recreation and Stewardship at Risk!

Dear Legislators and House and Senate Leadership,

SB 1517-7 as currently written does not provide adequate protections for organizations leading outdoor recreation and stewardship activities. In fact, it contains exceptions to waivers that may put our organizations and our volunteer board officers at even greater risk if passed as currently written. We hope the bill will be sent to House Rules to address the following concerns:

Stewardship activities like maintenance and restoration are not covered in the list of recreation operators’ activities for which waivers can be enforced.
The long list of exceptions to claims that can be included in activity waivers leaves Oregon’s small businesses and volunteer organizations holding an untenable level of liability risk. We fully support the exception for “claims for greater than ordinary negligence, including gross negligence, reckless conduct, willful misconduct or intentional acts.” We believe some of the other exceptions could put non-profit organizations working to increase safe access to the outdoors and fostering volunteer stewardship of our public lands at even greater risk. Non-profits are often operating on public lands and using public equipment and must not be held liable for environmental hazards.
Lastly for any law passed to rebalance Oregon’s recreation liability laws, we would like to see the inclusion of all waivers signed by legal guardians included, not just those for minors. We put great value on all Oregonians having access to outdoor recreation and all members of our families participating together in outdoor recreation and stewardship activities as is safe and appropriate.

We are simultaneously requesting that SB 1593A be scheduled for a hearing and work session in Senate Rules ASAP so that it has time for consideration on the Senate and House Floors this session. SB 1593A provides critical and balanced liability risk protections for conservation and recreation organizations increasing outdoor access and volunteerism for Oregonians while protecting individuals’ rights to redress in cases of gross negligence, criminal negligence, or willful acts that put them at risk.

Please don’t leave our organizations, small businesses, and public agencies shouldering such a high level of liability risk. We work to provide safe and welcoming access to the outdoors for all Oregonians while leveraging thousands of volunteer hours to care for public lands. Please ensure the protections in SB 1593A have a path forward to being adopted into law this session

Thank you for your leadership,
<Your Name, City and/or the Organization or Business you represent>