03-18-2018, 01:59 AM
Hi, MackayGuy,
I have no desire to trespass on private land and I respect the landowner's right to manage and care for the land. I have seen and object to the damage some have done to private land or property. However, I do have some concerns about the bill. If the land is not clearly posted, even a good gps will not guarantee that I will not accidentally wander onto private land. More worrisome, if I am near private land, I understand that the bill allows the landowner to sue (or threaten to sue), and I cannot recover my legal costs even if I am shown to be completely innocent. That portion of the bill is out of balance. In Valley County, a landowner from Texas hired a guard and confronted an individual using a national forest road that went through the private land. The landowner was attempting to prevent people from using public property. In that example, the wealthy landowner can afford to sue, and few individuals can pay the legal cost to prove their innocence. The landowner can effectively block people from using adjacent public land. Penalties for inappropriate actions should be balanced.
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I have no desire to trespass on private land and I respect the landowner's right to manage and care for the land. I have seen and object to the damage some have done to private land or property. However, I do have some concerns about the bill. If the land is not clearly posted, even a good gps will not guarantee that I will not accidentally wander onto private land. More worrisome, if I am near private land, I understand that the bill allows the landowner to sue (or threaten to sue), and I cannot recover my legal costs even if I am shown to be completely innocent. That portion of the bill is out of balance. In Valley County, a landowner from Texas hired a guard and confronted an individual using a national forest road that went through the private land. The landowner was attempting to prevent people from using public property. In that example, the wealthy landowner can afford to sue, and few individuals can pay the legal cost to prove their innocence. The landowner can effectively block people from using adjacent public land. Penalties for inappropriate actions should be balanced.
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