Iowa received some some unflattering national media coverage this year after the Dubuque City Council banned sledding at most city parks, out of what many considered excessive fears about litigation.

A law Governor Terry Branstad signed yesterday should bring joy to thousands of Iowa sledders next winter.  

House File 570 amends Iowa Code regarding liability claims against municipalities. It replaces current language about claims related to “skateboarding, in-line skating, bicycling, unicycling, scootering, river rafting, canoeing, or kayaking” with the phrase “recreational activities,” which would also cover sledding on public property.

A slew of lobbyists representing Iowa cities and various advocacy groups registered for House File 570; no lobbyists registered against it. The bill passed both the Iowa House and Senate unanimously.

Speaking to Rod Boshart,

Brad Lint, executive director of the Iowa Association for Justice, said House File 570 alleviates the perception that Iowans don’t bear an appropriate share of responsibility for the inherent risks of recreational activities on public property.

“Judges and juries recognize this personal responsibility, but the law now makes it clear,” Lint said in a statement. “This bill strikes an appropriate balance of responsibility between individuals and government, keeping safety as a top priority. Citizens are responsible for the risks they knowingly engage in, but cities have to hold up their end of the bargain by maintaining safe conditions at parks, schools, and on other public land.”

A few months ago, Lint criticized what he called the city of Dubuque’s “drastic overreaction” to fears about sledding-related lawsuits.