HB 629 — An Act amending the act of February 2, 1966 (1965 P.L.1860, No.586), entitled "An act encouraging landowners to make land and water areas available to the public for recreational purposes by limiting liability in connection therewith, and repealing certain acts," further providing for definitions, for duty to keep premises safe and warning and for assurance of safe premises and duty of care and responsibility and liability.

PRINTER'S NO.   640

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 629
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY STRUZZI, FREEMAN, WARREN, WHITE, BOROWSKI, KHAN,
        WEBSTER, GALLAGHER, COOK, PICKETT, D. WILLIAMS, SMITH,
        BARGER, HAMM, SANCHEZ, CIRESI, ZIMMERMAN AND DALEY,
        FEBRUARY 20, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM, RECREATION AND ECONOMIC
        DEVELOPMENT, FEBRUARY 20, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of February 2, 1966 (1965 P.L.1860, No.586),
 2      entitled "An act encouraging landowners to make land and
 3      water areas available to the public for recreational purposes
 4      by limiting liability in connection therewith, and repealing
 5      certain acts," further providing for definitions, for duty to
 6      keep premises safe and warning and for assurance of safe
 7      premises and duty of care and responsibility and liability.
 8      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 9   hereby enacts as follows:
10      Section 1.    Section 2 of the act of February 2, 1966 (1965
11   P.L.1860, No.586), entitled "An act encouraging landowners to
12   make land and water areas available to the public for
13   recreational purposes by limiting liability in connection
14   therewith, and repealing certain acts," is amended by adding
15   paragraphs to read:
16      Section 2.    As used in this act:
17      * * *
18      (6)   "Volunteer" means a person who, without compensation,
19   provides services to care for, enhance, preserve, restore or
 1   maintain land for recreational purposes.
 2      (7)     "Volunteer organization" means a nonprofit organization
 3   under 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3), (4) or (6) (relating to exemption
 4   from tax on corporations, certain trusts, etc.) or an
 5   independent, volunteer-based nonprofit organization dedicated to
 6   the care, enhancement, preservation, restoration or maintenance
 7   of land for a recreational purpose, including the organization's
 8   officer or director in any circumstance in which the officer or
 9   director is subject to personal liability as a representative of
10   the organization.
11      Section 2.     Sections 3 and 4 of the act are amended to read:
12      Section 3.     Except as specifically recognized or provided in
13   section 6 of this act, an owner of land, a volunteer or a
14   volunteer organization owes no duty of care to keep the premises
15   safe for entry or use by recreational users, or to give any
16   warning of a dangerous condition, use, structure, or activity on
17   such premises to recreational users.
18      Section 4.     Except as specifically recognized by or provided
19   in section 6 of this act, an owner of land who either directly
20   or indirectly invites or permits without charge any recreational
21   user, volunteer or volunteer organization to use such property
22   does not thereby:
23      (1)     Extend any assurance that the premises are safe for any
24   purpose.
25      (2)     Confer upon such recreational user the legal status of
26   an invitee or licensee to whom a duty of care is owed.
27      (3)     Assume responsibility for or incur liability for any
28   injury to persons or property caused by an act of omission of a
29   recreational user or landowner.
30      (4)     Assume responsibility for or incur liability for any

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1   injury to persons or property, wherever such persons or property
2   are located, caused while hunting as defined in 34 Pa.C.S. § 102
3   (relating to definitions).
4      Section 3.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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