Latest news with #JohnMaddox
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Yahoo
New Arkansas Law Paves Way for Lift-Serviced Mountain Bike Parks
With its signing into law this week, Arkansas' Senate Bill 203 paves the way for lift-serviced mountain bike parks in the Natural State. SB 203 legally defines 'recreational tramways' and acknowledges that outdoor activities 'have inherent risks that are essentially impossible to eliminate by outdoor recreation operators and recreational tramway operators.' 'The crux of the bill is that these are inherently dangerous activities," the bill's co-sponsor, Rep. John Maddox of Mena, told House Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development committee members earlier. "We're just going to make it clear that if you are going to ride a mountain bike down a mountain, there's a chance you're going to hurt yourself, and you are assuming the risk.' The bill details the responsibilities of lift operators, including in part safe operation and maintenance of the lift, signs advising riders to seek advice if they are not familiar with riding a lift, annual inspections of lifts, trail signage at the top of lifts, and requirements that lifts be in compliance with ANSI Ski Lift Code. The new law also outlines customers' assumptions of risk, stating 'a participant in an outdoor recreation activity shall be presumed to have known the inherent risks of the outdoor recreation activity in which he or she participates.' Liability of tramway operators and outdoor recreation operators is also laid out, stating in part that operators are only liable if they commit 'an act or omission related to an outdoor recreation activity that is intentional, reckless, grossly negligent, or negligent regarding the safety of an individual or property and that act or omission proximately causes injury to or the death of the individual or damage to property.' With the new law in place, legal coverage for the OZ Trails and Mena bike parks in development is established. The OZ Trail Bike Park in Bella Vista will feature a Poma-Leitner high-speed chairlift that accesses downhill trails, and the Trails at Mena–a collaboration between the U.S. Forest Service, Arkansas State Parks and the City of Mena–will include three chairlifts servicing 100 miles of trails with about 1,300 feet of vertical elevation. Construction of both parks is scheduled to begin this year. Outdoor recreation is a $7.3 billion industry for Arkansas that creates more than 68,000 jobs and $2 billion in tax revenue, according to the recently released Heartland Forward report produced by the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. Read the complete text of SB 203 here.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bill that would allow third-party alcohol delivery in Arkansas heads to governor's desk
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A bill that would allow third parties to deliver alcohol in Arkansas is headed to the governor's desk for her signature. Senate Bill 98 would allow third-party delivery services to deliver alcohol from a liquor or grocery store to anyone over the age of 21 in a wet county. The delivery service would need a permit from the Alcohol and Beverage Commission to provide for customers. Arkansas legislature 'Gulf of America' resolution declined by House for second time The bill was filed by Sen. Breanne Davis (R-Russellville) and sponsored by Rep. John Maddox (R-Mena). The bill unanimously passed the Senate City, County & Local Affairs Committee with a 'do pass'. It later passed through the Senate and the House. It was delivered to the governor's desk on Feb. 20. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
