With the proposal pointing to 鈥渋nherent risk,鈥� a Florida House panel approved a bill that would help shield campground owners from lawsuits about people getting injured or killed while camping.
鈥淧assing this bill is not going to result in campground owners suddenly wanting to throw you in holes, feed you to wild animals, let you fall into hornet鈥檚 nests and so on,鈥� bill sponsor Dean Black, R-Jacksonville said. 鈥淚t will restore sanity to camping. It will protect camping.鈥�
The Republican-controlled House Civil Justice Subcommittee voted 11-5 along party lines to approve the bill (). , R-Miami, has filed a similar bill (), which has not been heard in Senate committees as the 60-day legislative session enters its third week.
Rep. , D-Fort Lauderdale, expressed concern about taking the 鈥渞esponsibility off the camp owners.鈥�
鈥淎t some point, we have to make sure or put in some stipulations that ensures that these campground operators are actually going around, checking their facility, making sure that they are aware of what鈥檚 becoming more of a safety hazard for their guests that are coming here to enjoy some quality time with their family and get away from 鈥� the real world,鈥� Campbell said.
The panel approved the bill three days after the House passed a wide-ranging plan () designed to help prevent costly lawsuits against businesses and insurance companies. But Black鈥檚 bill is narrowly focused on campgrounds.
The proposal lists a series of factors described as an 鈥渋nherent risk of camping鈥� and would provide legal immunity to campground operators for injuries, deaths or property damage related to those factors. The factors include such things as natural bodies of water, campfires, trees and uneven terrain.
The bill would require campground operators to provide notice about the 鈥渋nherent risk鈥� of camping. Also, it would not shield operators in circumstances such as committing an 鈥渁ct or omission that constitutes willful and wanton disregard for the safety of another person鈥� that results in injury or death.
Black linked the bill to an increase in camping during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that resulted in an increase in litigation and threats of litigation against campground operators. He also said the bill was modeled after an already-existing law about agritourism.
鈥淢any of our campgrounds operate on very thin margins,鈥� Black said. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 make a lot of money.鈥�
But Todd Michaels, representing the Florida Justice Association plaintiffs鈥� attorneys group, raised concerns that the bill takes 鈥渢he law of premises liability and flips it on its head.鈥�
鈥淚 just fear how that precedent will start applying when the amusement-park industry comes forward and says, 鈥榃ell, we鈥檝e got inherently dangerous conditions. We should no longer have to act reasonably, either,鈥欌�� Michaels said.
