This Weekend–Talk It Up! Send Your Support for the Bill to Keep Municipal Land Open for Recreation

Since the weather might keep you inside for a bit this weekend, why not take the opportunity to voice your support for the bill (SB 831) that would limit municipal liability and keep recreational lands open?

A Bit of Background:

Last summer hundreds of people, if not a thousand or so, rallied against the $2.9 million verdict awarded to an experienced cyclist who collided into a gate at the West Hartford reservoir.  The gate had been there, and was routinely closed, for the better part of 30 years.

In a pre-emptive effort, outdoor enthusiasts spoke out to keep open space properties like the West Hartford Reservoir open to recreational users and to limit towns’ exposure to frivolous lawsuits and verdicts like the one awarded to this particular cyclist.

Now a bill that would do just that is starting its way through the legislative process.  The Environment Committee held a public hearing on the bill on January 31.  Next the committee will decide what to do with the bill:  report the bill favorably, defeat it, or  ignore it. 

What Can I Do?  You can send a brief email message to the legislature’s Environment Committee stating your support for keeping town lands open to recreational use and for limiting municipality liability.

Is my message really going to make a difference?  Yes!  Many people are surprised to learn how impactful their statements to legislators really are.  Oftentimes, the only people who speak up about a bill are the ones who oppose it, which leaves legislators with the impression that a bill doesn’t have much support.  Our legislators aren’t mind readers--give them something to work with!

Okay.  Where do I send it?  Email your message to jason.bowsza@cga.ct.gov.  He’s the clerk for the Environment Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly. Copy and paste the address to avoid misspellings.

What do I say? Put “Testimony in Support of SB 831” in the subject line of your email.  Ask the Environment committee to support Senate Bill 831.  Explain why you want municipal land to stay open for your own recreational use.   Be brief.  Be polite and respectful.  Say thank you.  Remember that your message will be testimony that will be posted online.  Don’t write anything you wouldn’t want to see on the front page of the newspaper. Be sure to include your name and town of residence.

I’d still like to know more.  Good for you!  Be informed.  The Connecticut Forest and Park Association and Save Our Trails has a good one-page backgrounder entitled WHY DO WE NEED RECREATIONAL LIABILITY FOR MUNICIPALITIES?

Thanks for speaking up for smart, sustainable environmental policies for Connecticut.