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: [email protected] Boulder County

* Senator Paula Sandoval, 303-866-4862, E-mail: [email protected] ( Denver)

* Senator Mark Scheffel 303-866-4869 E-mail: [email protected] (Douglas, El Paso, Lake, Park, Teller counties

* Senator Abel Tapia 303-866-2581 E-mail: [email protected] (Pueblo)

* Senator Michael Johnston 303-866-486 E-mail: [email protected] (Denver)

* Senator Ted Harvey 303-866-4881 E-mail: [email protected] (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