Reference Title: recreational immunity

AN ACT
AMENDING SECTION 33-1551, ARIZONA REVISED STATUTES; RELATING TO LIABILITIES AND DUTIES ON PROPERTY USED FOR EDUCATION AND RECREATION.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 33-1551, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

33-1551 . Duty of owner, lessee or occupant of premises to recreational users; liability; definitions

A. A public or private owner, easement holder, lessee or occupant of premises is not liable to a recreational or educational user except upon a showing that the owner, easement holder, lessee or occupant was guilty of wilful, malicious or grossly negligent conduct which was a direct cause of the injury to the recreational or educational user.

B. This section does not limit the liability which otherwise exists for maintaining an attractive nuisance, except with respect to dams, channels, canals and lateral ditches used for flood control, agricultural, industrial, metallurgical or municipal purposes.

C. As used in this section:

1. "Educational user" means a person to whom permission has been granted or implied without the payment of an admission fee or ANY other consideration to enter upon premises to participate in an educational program, including but not limited to, the viewing of historical, natural, archaeological or scientific sights. A NOMINAL FEE THAT IS CHARGED BY A PUBLIC ENTITY OR A NONPROFIT CORPORATION TO OFFSET THE COST OF PROVIDING THE EDUCATIONAL OR RECREATIONAL PREMISES AND ASSOCIATED SERVICES DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN ADMISSION FEE OR ANY OTHER CONSIDERATION AS PRESCRIBED BY THIS SECTION.

2. "Grossly negligent" means a knowing or reckless indifference to the health and safety of others.

3. "Premises" means agricultural, range, open space, park, flood control, mining, forest or railroad lands, and any other similar lands, wherever located, which are available to a recreational or educational user, including, but not limited to, paved or unpaved multi-use trails and special purpose roads or trails not open to automotive use by the public and any building, improvement, fixture, water conveyance system, body of water, channel, canal or lateral, road, trail or structure on such lands.

4. "Recreational user" means a person to whom permission has been granted or implied without the payment of an admission fee or ANY other consideration to travel across or to enter upon premises to hunt, fish, trap, camp, hike, ride, exercise, swim or engage in similar pursuits. The purchase of a state hunting, trapping or fishing license is not the payment of an admission fee or ANY other consideration as provided in this section. A NOMINAL FEE THAT IS CHARGED BY A PUBLIC ENTITY OR A NONPROFIT CORPORATION TO OFFSET THE COST OF PROVIDING THE EDUCATIONAL OR RECREATIONAL PREMISES AND ASSOCIATED SERVICES DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN ADMISSION FEE OR ANY OTHER CONSIDERATION AS PRESCRIBED BY THIS SECTION.

APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR APRIL 24, 1998.

FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE APRIL 24, 1998.