City Council Endorses Skateboard Bill

A bill that would add skateboarding to the state’s official list of “hazardous recreational activities” has won the City Council’s endorsement.

AB 2357, sponsored by Assemblyman Bill Morrow (R-Oceanside), would help to protect cities from skateboard-accident lawsuits.

In a telephone interview Wednesday from Sacramento, Morrow said that at least one California city, Moreno Valley, has been hit with a court judgment involving a skateboard accident. The city had to pay $31,000 to settle the case, he said.

That incident alarmed officials in other cities about potential liability, he said, and that prompted the legislative proposal.

“I think skateboarding is a healthy recreational activity, but cities need protection,” Morrow said.

Huntington Beach has at least two skateboard parks, and Laguna Niguel, Laguna Beach and La Palma have debated whether to build such facilities. Morrow said that fear of lawsuits has been a factor in some cities’ discussion of the issue.

State law now lists hang gliding, use of trampolines and tree climbing among “hazardous recreational activities.” Morrow’s bill has passed the Assembly and is now pending in the state Senate.

The City Council, in voting to support the proposal, urged that the Legislature also include in-line skating to the list.

Morrow agreed that skating can be hazardous but said, “I’m not going to amend my bill now.”