First Substitute H.B. 293

Representative Mike K. McKell proposes the following substitute bill:


             1     
GOVERNMENT IMMUNITY WILDLIFE WAIVER

             2     
AMENDMENTS

             3     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Mike K. McKell

             6     
Senate Sponsor: John L. Valentine

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill modifies Title 63G, Chapter 7, Governmental Immunity Act of Utah.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    provides that governmental immunity is not waived for injury related to the activity
             14      of wildlife that arises during the use of a public or private road; and
             15          .    makes technical changes.
             16      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             17          None
             18      Other Special Clauses:
             19          None
             20      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             21      AMENDS:
             22           63G-7-301 , as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 382
             23     
             24      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             25          Section 1. Section 63G-7-301 is amended to read:


             26           63G-7-301. Waivers of immunity -- Exceptions.
             27          (1) (a) Immunity from suit of each governmental entity is waived as to any contractual
             28      obligation.
             29          (b) Actions arising out of contractual rights or obligations are not subject to the
             30      requirements of Sections 63G-7-401 , 63G-7-402 , 63G-7-403 , or 63G-7-601 .
             31          (c) The Division of Water Resources is not liable for failure to deliver water from a
             32      reservoir or associated facility authorized by Title 73, Chapter 26, Bear River Development
             33      Act, if the failure to deliver the contractual amount of water is due to drought, other natural
             34      condition, or safety condition that causes a deficiency in the amount of available water.
             35          (2) Immunity from suit of each governmental entity is waived:
             36          (a) as to any action brought to recover, obtain possession of, or quiet title to real or
             37      personal property;
             38          (b) as to any action brought to foreclose mortgages or other liens on real or personal
             39      property, to determine any adverse claim on real or personal property, or to obtain an
             40      adjudication about any mortgage or other lien that the governmental entity may have or claim
             41      on real or personal property;
             42          (c) as to any action based on the negligent destruction, damage, or loss of goods,
             43      merchandise, or other property while it is in the possession of any governmental entity or
             44      employee, if the property was seized for the purpose of forfeiture under any provision of state
             45      law;
             46          (d) subject to Subsection 63G-7-302 (1), as to any action brought under the authority of
             47      Article I, Section 22, of the Utah Constitution, for the recovery of compensation from the
             48      governmental entity when the governmental entity has taken or damaged private property for
             49      public uses without just compensation;
             50          (e) subject to Subsection 63G-7-302 (2), as to any action brought to recover attorney
             51      fees under Sections 63G-2-405 and 63G-2-802 ;
             52          (f) for actual damages under Title 67, Chapter 21, Utah Protection of Public Employees
             53      Act; or
             54          (g) as to any action brought to obtain relief from a land use regulation that imposes a
             55      substantial burden on the free exercise of religion under Title 63L, Chapter 5, Utah Religious
             56      Land Use Act.


             57          (3) (a) Except as provided in Subsection (3)(b), immunity from suit of each
             58      governmental entity is waived as to any injury caused by:
             59          (i) a defective, unsafe, or dangerous condition of any highway, road, street, alley,
             60      crosswalk, sidewalk, culvert, tunnel, bridge, viaduct, or other structure located on them; or
             61          (ii) any defective or dangerous condition of a public building, structure, dam, reservoir,
             62      or other public improvement.
             63          (b) Immunity from suit of each governmental entity is not waived if the injury arises
             64      out of, in connection with, or results from:
             65          (i) a latent dangerous or latent defective condition of any highway, road, street, alley,
             66      crosswalk, sidewalk, culvert, tunnel, bridge, viaduct, or other structure located on them; or
             67          (ii) a latent dangerous or latent defective condition of any public building, structure,
             68      dam, reservoir, or other public improvement.
             69          (4) Immunity from suit of each governmental entity is waived as to any injury
             70      proximately caused by a negligent act or omission of an employee committed within the scope
             71      of employment.
             72          (5) Immunity from suit of each governmental entity is not waived under Subsections
             73      (3) and (4) if the injury arises out of, in connection with, or results from:
             74          (a) the exercise or performance, or the failure to exercise or perform, a discretionary
             75      function, whether or not the discretion is abused;
             76          (b) assault, battery, false imprisonment, false arrest, malicious prosecution, intentional
             77      trespass, abuse of process, libel, slander, deceit, interference with contract rights, infliction of
             78      mental anguish, or violation of civil rights;
             79          (c) the issuance, denial, suspension, or revocation of, or by the failure or refusal to
             80      issue, deny, suspend, or revoke, any permit, license, certificate, approval, order, or similar
             81      authorization;
             82          (d) a failure to make an inspection or by making an inadequate or negligent inspection;
             83          (e) the institution or prosecution of any judicial or administrative proceeding, even if
             84      malicious or without probable cause;
             85          (f) a misrepresentation by an employee whether or not it is negligent or intentional;
             86          (g) riots, unlawful assemblies, public demonstrations, mob violence, and civil
             87      disturbances;


             88          (h) the collection of and assessment of taxes;
             89          (i) the activities of the Utah National Guard;
             90          (j) the incarceration of any person in any state prison, county or city jail, or other place
             91      of legal confinement;
             92          (k) any natural condition on publicly owned or controlled lands;
             93          (l) any condition existing in connection with an abandoned mine or mining operation;
             94          (m) any activity authorized by the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration
             95      or the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands;
             96          (n) the operation or existence of a pedestrian or equestrian trail that is along a ditch,
             97      canal, stream, or river, regardless of ownership or operation of the ditch, canal, stream, or river,
             98      if:
             99          (i) the trail is designated under a general plan adopted by a municipality under Section
             100      10-9a-401 or by a county under Section 17-27a-401 ;
             101          (ii) the trail right-of-way or the right-of-way where the trail is located is open to public
             102      use as evidenced by a written agreement between the owner or operator of the trail
             103      right-of-way, or of the right-of-way where the trail is located, and the municipality or county
             104      where the trail is located; and
             105          (iii) the written agreement:
             106          (A) contains a plan for operation and maintenance of the trail; and
             107          (B) provides that an owner or operator of the trail right-of-way or of the right-of-way
             108      where the trail is located has, at minimum, the same level of immunity from suit as the
             109      governmental entity in connection with or resulting from the use of the trail.
             110          (o) research or implementation of cloud management or seeding for the clearing of fog;
             111          (p) the management of flood waters, earthquakes, or natural disasters;
             112          (q) the construction, repair, or operation of flood or storm systems;
             113          (r) the operation of an emergency vehicle, while being driven in accordance with the
             114      requirements of Section 41-6a-212 ;
             115          (s) the activities of:
             116          (i) providing emergency medical assistance;
             117          (ii) fighting fire;
             118          (iii) regulating, mitigating, or handling hazardous materials or hazardous wastes;


             119          (iv) emergency evacuations;
             120          (v) transporting or removing injured persons to a place where emergency medical
             121      assistance can be rendered or where the person can be transported by a licensed ambulance
             122      service; or
             123          (vi) intervening during dam emergencies;
             124          (t) the exercise or performance, or the failure to exercise or perform, any function
             125      pursuant to Title 73, Chapter 10, Board of Water Resources - Division of Water Resources;
             126      [or]
             127          (u) unauthorized access to government records, data, or electronic information systems
             128      by any person or entity[.]; or
             129          (v) injury related to the activity of wildlife that arises during the use of a public or
             130      private road.


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