Action Alert: Trail Bill Needs Your Support Today!

[Claude Morelli]

WALK Albuquerque

Legislative Action Alert

 

Senator Dede Feldman’s Trails Liability Bill (SB 486)

needs you to rally in support!

 

Last Friday, the Senate Judiciary Committee did not pass Senator Dede Feldman’s “trail liability” bill.  Four Republicans voted in favor of it and four Democrats voted against it.  The tie vote, however, means that SB 486 can be brought back up in the Judiciary Committee at the request of the Chair (Senator Cisco McSorley) or by the motion of any member of the Committee.  Therefore, if any of the "no" votes can be convinced to change their vote to "yes" -- and we can also convince Sen. Martinez and Sen. Rainaldi to vote "yes" -- we could still get this bill out of the committee and onto to the Senate Floor (where it likely will pass easily).

 

We believe that the Trial Lawyers Association influenced the voting.  Since Monday, bill supporters have been working with the Trial Lawyers to reach a compromise.  We believe a compromise has been reached and the bill will be heard again on Friday afternoon.  Thanks to Dave Simon, NM State Parks Director, for staying on top of this.

 

It is very important to call all members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to voice your support for this bill (scroll down for a list).

 

Tell them that:

 

§         You love to walk, bike, hike, or horseback ride along drainage canals and irrigation ditch banks in Albuquerque and elsewhere in New Mexico.

§         You support recreational use of ditch right of ways.

§         Ditch banks could support "Safe Routes To Schools" thus increasing physical activity levels in New Mexico's children.

§         This bill will help push forward cooperative management between irrigation/ conservancy districts and local parks and recreation departments.

§         You understand trails are the number-one recreation priority identified by New Mexicans in the State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP).

§         You want access to more trails near where you live for health, recreation and travel purposes.

§         This bill is a win-win!  Irrigation districts will be more comfortable allowing public access on recognized, managed trail corridors and the public will benefit from the establishment of hundreds of new trail miles in the State.

 

Tell the Democrats to please reconsider their vote on SB 486.

 

Let them know you support the amendments to the bill which clarify that the trail managing agency must develop an operations, maintenance and risk management plan to protect trail users.

 

Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee

§         Cisco McSorley, Chair (D)                                    505-986-4485

§         Richard Martinez (D)                                            505-986-4389

§         William Payne (R)                                                 505-986-4276

§         Rod Adair (R)                                                        505-986-4385

§         Kent Cravens (R)                                                  505-986-4391

§         John Grubesic (D)                                                505-986-4260

§         Clinton Harden Jr. (R)                                           505-986-4369

§         Linda M Lopez (D)                                                505-986-4737

§         Lidio Rainaldi (D)                                                  505-986-4310

§         Michael Sanchez (D)                                            505-986-4727