Snowmobile bill put on legislative fast track

AUGUSTA – The Legislature has approved an insurance reform bill that will allow snowmobile clubs to continue grooming the state’s 15,000-mile network of snowmobile trails.

The bill, unanimously approved Wednesday in the House, gives snowmobile clubs the same kind of liability protection that landowners get. It was enacted by the Senate on Thursday and forwarded to Gov. John Baldacci, who planned to sign it Friday morning.

Maine Snowmobile Association director Bob Meyers said the bill is necessary because insurance companies raised their insurance rates for clubs by as much as 400 percent in the past year.

Insurance companies raised their rates for fear of lawsuits by people injured on trails maintained by the clubs. The new bill says the clubs cannot be held liable if someone gets injured on a trail unless the club created conditions with the intent of causing harm.

Senate President Beverly Daggett, D-Augusta, and House Speaker Patrick Colwell, D-Gardiner, put the bill on the fast track Wednesday. The bill started in the Senate, which took action to suspend its rules so the bill could be sent to the House immediately.

There, legislators in the House passed the bill 141-0, easily surpassing the two-thirds support necessary to enact emergency legislation. Because it’s marked as an emergency, the bill will take effect as soon as Baldacci signs it.

The governor supports the bill, saying the clubs provide an essential service for the $350 million snowmobile industry.

“It’s an enormous economic impact, but it also provides a great tourism attraction,” said spokesman Lee Umphrey.

Snowmobile clubs maintain about 95 percent of the state’s snowmobile trail network, according to the state.

Meyers said there are 292 snowmobile clubs affiliated with the association, and he knows of only about 70 that have insurance coverage. The others are waiting for rates to drop.

He said the new legislation needs to be in place by Feb. 1, when many policies expire.