Source: http://wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=SB446%20SUB1.htm&yr=2018&sesstype=RS&i=446
Timestamp: 2020-02-21 09:26:09
Document Index: 476412150

Matched Legal Cases: ['§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19', '§19']

SB446 SUB1 Senate Bill 446 History
By Senators Rucker, Sypolt, Unger, Trump, and Boso
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, by adding thereto a new article, designated §19-36-1, §19-36-2, §19-36-3, §19-36-4, §19-36-5, and §19-36-6, all relating to agritourism generally; creating the Agritourism Responsibility Act; making findings; establishing authority and duties of the Commissioner of Agriculture related to agritourism; defining terms; establishing duties of agritourism businesses and participants in agritourism activities; limiting liability of agritourism businesses, employees, and volunteers associated therewith; requiring notice of certain rights, limitations on liability, and responsibilities of participants in agritourism activities; immunizing agritourism business and agritourism professionals from certain acts of simple negligence and exceptions thereto; authorizing Commissioner of Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, to promulgate and propose rules; clarifying that operation of agritourism business does not change status of the facilities and property used for building code and tax purposes; and exempting structures of agritourism business occasionally used for events from building code requirements for entities engaged in such activities on a full-time basis.
“Agritourism” means any activity at an agricultural, aquacultural, horticultural, or forestry on-farm operation open to the public for the purpose of enjoyment, history, education, or participation in agritourism activities including, but not limited to, venue space, pick-your-own farms, farm markets, wineries, distilleries, tours, education barns, historical reenactments, farm schools, living history farms, heirloom plants and animals, agricultural processing demonstrations, collections of old farm machinery, agricultural festivals, theme playgrounds for children, fishing, farm vacations, pumpkin patches, mazes, farm tours, food sales, hayrides, crop art activities, and activities involving animal or farm product exhibitions at agricultural fairs and trail riding/equine programs.
(a) Except as provided in §19-36-3(b) of this code, an agritourism business employee or volunteer acting under the direction of the agritourism business operator is not liable for injury to or death of a participant resulting from the inherent risks of agritourism activities, so long as the notice contained in §19-36-5 of this code is posted as required and, except as provided in §19-36-3(b) of this code, no participant or participant's representative is authorized to maintain an action against or recover from an agritourism business for injury, loss, damage, or death of the participant resulting exclusively from any of the inherent risks of agritourism activities: Provided, That no agritourism business or agritourism professional shall be liable for injuries or damages caused by the actions of nonagents or nonemployees.
(b) Nothing in §19-36-3(a) of this code shall prevent or limit the liability of an agritourism business if the agritourism business does any one or more of the following:
(2) Has actual knowledge or reasonably should have known of a dangerous condition on the land or in the facilities or equipment used in the activity, or the dangerous propensity of a particular animal used in such activity and does not make the danger known to the participant, and the danger proximately causes injury, damage, or death to the participant; or
(3) Fail to inform or notify the agritourism business of any incident or accident involving personal injury or illness experienced during the course of any agritourism activity. If such injury or illness occurs, the participant shall leave personal identification, including name and address, with the agritourism business’ agent or employee.
(b) The signs and contracts described in §19-36-5(a) of this code must contain the following notice:
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to authorize the Commissioner of Agriculture to advance agritourism in the state. The Commissioner of Agriculture is authorized to promulgate rules in consultation with the Department of Commerce. The duties and liabilities of agritourism businesses and the duties of participants are established. Limitations on liability for agritourism businesses and responsibilities of participants are set forth. The bill clarifies that operation of an agritourism business does not change the status of facilities and property used for building code and tax purposes, and structures of agritourism businesses occasionally used for events are exempted from certain building code requirements.