May 6, 2007 2 min read

HARRISBURG – State Sen. Richard Kasunic introduced legislation that would provide liability protection for landowners who allow no-fee recreational use of their property. “Eighty percent of the land in Pennsylvania is privately owned and there is not currently enough protection for the landowners who let hunters and other sportsmen utilize their property,” Kasunic said. “My legislation would hold these landowners harmless and place full responsibility on the recreational user for any negligent actions that may take place.”

Kasunic said there is an immediate need for this legislation due to a recent court decision in Burns v. Haas. In that case, the landowners were found partially liable for damages in a lawsuit filed because a stray bullet fired by a hunter traveled nearly a half-mile before accidentally striking a woman on a different property.

The legislation, Senate Bill 825, would amend the Recreational Use of Land and Water Act to provide immunity for landowners, who allow no-fee recreational use of their property, from “This court case opened a lot of eyes across the state and in this legislature,” Kasunic said. “Many landowners are now fearful of the liability they must now assume and have chosen to post their property, minimizing areas that sportsmen can utilize.”