ACTION ALERT! One more time – SB533
Team – one more time!
Time is of the essence — act now!!!!!!
Thanks to your efforts, the House committee gave it a thumbs up to HB 660 (I errored when I said earlier that the Maryland House approved HB660–it was the committee) and it is now off to the full House chamber this week.
If you want to listen to the testimony before the Senate subcommittee, go to this link
We are told that it shouldn’t see much pushback given a 22-0 vote from the committee.
The Senate committee is likely the rougher ride with several plaintiff’s litigators in that body. This is where we need your help again!
Please contact the members of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee (listed below) and let them know your stance on SB 533 “Forests and Parks – Public Recreation on Private and State-Owned Land – Off-Highway Vehicles.”
Why is this good for OHVs?
The first obstacle to private landowners opening their property for OHV use is liability. This change extends the current liability exemption (for a landowner who agrees to the use of the landowner’s property for cross-country skiing or snowmobiling in Garrett County) to all Counties in Maryland and includes the use of OHVs. This is good for owners of reclaimed coal mines in western MD, owners of sand or gravel pits in southern or eastern MD, for stone quarries, for farmers wishing to generate some additional revenue from their land, etc.
Also, many landowners do not want OHVs on their property and become alienated to OHVs in general when rogue trails appear on their property without their consent. The greater use of OHVs on private land should reduce rouge trails on private and public land.
Also, this bill is a natural complement to recent Sideling Hill legislation (SB 471) which passed the Judicial Proceedings Committee this week.
Please contact the committee members listed below and your elected representatives ASAP!
Please send a courtsey copy of your email to Travis Martz <travis@martzlegal.com> and Ken Kyler <ken@kyler.com>
You can read the entire bill at the link below: