Key Senators to contact for 1188, amendments to the bill
Posted in Whitewater Rafting Blog on Thursday, March 18th, 2010 by dmama.
HB 1188 was amended in Committee Monday evening… It’s not everything everyone wanted But it is a good first step, please consider the difficulty and scale of this issue we’re working.
An amendment went on the bill yesterday that did five major things:
1. Rewrote the legislative declaration to declare that the right to float was based in existing law broadly rather than narrowly on English common law.
2. Removed all references to “navigation” and replaced them with the term “right to float”
3. Included private boaters in the definition of people who can exercise their right to float on runs historically floated by commercial rafting companies
4. Struck the ability to portage
5. Included language protecting landowners from liability for water diversions, agricultural practices, etc. and allowed the use of “incidental contact” to avoid them
Read the amended legislation online
————-ACTION ALERT ————–
The Future of River Running Heads to Senate Floor on Friday, March 19th!
Take Action BEFORE Friday 9am
YES ON HB 1188 – the 2010 River Outfitters Viability Act
Let’s keep Colorado rivers open for business and fun
Look up your own state senator at: http://www.comaps.org or
Project Votesmart: www.votesmart.org
Key State Senators to contact:
* Senator Rollie Heath 303-866-4872 E-mail: rollie.heath.senate@state.co.us Boulder County
* Senator Paula Sandoval, 303-866-4862, E-mail: nwden34@yahoo.com ( Denver)
* Senator Mark Scheffel 303-866-4869 E-mail: mark.scheffel.senate@state.co.us (Douglas, El Paso, Lake, Park, Teller counties
* Senator Abel Tapia 303-866-2581 E-mail: abel.tapia.senate@state.co.us (Pueblo)
* Senator Michael Johnston 303-866-486 E-mail: mike.johnston.senate@state.co.us (Denver)
* Senator Ted Harvey 303-866-4881 E-mail: ted.harvey.senate@state.co.us (Douglas)
Sample script for phone/email/letter:
Dear Senator _______:
(Identify yourself: river enthusiast, Coloradan, business owner, outfitter whom employs many ppl. etc. Tell them if you live in their district. )
Please Vote Yes on HB 1188, the Colorado River Outfitters Viability Act.
We need Senator _______’s help to keep Colorado rivers open for business and fun! River running is a vital part of recreation, tourism, and business in the state.
Landowners, boaters, and fishers have been sharing the rivers for a long time in Colorado with few problems. Don’t let a few resort landowners close down the rivers for everyone in our state.
I hope I can count on your vote for the future of river recreation in Colorado.
(Add a personal note: why do you and your family enjoy boating?)
Sincerely,
Name
