5.0. EDSR 11-13-2000 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association • Landowner Protection Law Minn. Stat. 604.20 et seq. in 1994, MnUSA successfully fought to pass a hill at the State I.egislanire protecting private landowners from tort lawsuits. Under this law protection is granted to private landowners who allow a snowmobile trail across the landowners property without charge. The only remaining tort liability for a landowner is where the landowner willfully takes action to cause injury. In other words,there is no legal basis for suing a landowner' for negligence if the landowner meets the requirements of the law. To be protected wider this law the landowner must: • Give oral or written permission for the public to use the land for snowmobile • •Allow this public use without charge, admission or fee. • Refrain from willfully taking action to cause harm. This extraordinary legal protection is granted when the recreational use is incidental to or arises from access granted to the Iand for recreational trail use. Where the landowner grants permission to the public to use the land for other than trail use, A lesser amount of protection is granted. In such case the landowners duty of care is limited to the duty of care to a trespasser. Where permission is refused, the landowner is afforded no protection against lawsuits. In enacting this law, the legislature clearly wanted to encourage private landowners to permit snowmobile trails on their land The incentive granted was to olid such great protection from lawsuits that now a landowner who gives permission for a • trail is legally better off than a landowner who refuses. A copy of this law is attached for your review. Thank you, River City Snow Riders •