Sec. 09.65.290. Civil liability for sports or recreational activities.

398 words·~2 min read·/ak/title-9/chapter-65/09-65-290

A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.

(a)A person who participates in a sports or recreational activity assumes the inherent risks in that sports or recreational activity and is legally responsible for all injuries or death to the person or other persons and for all damage to property that results from the inherent risks in that sports or recreational activity.

(b)This section does not require a provider to eliminate, alter, or control the inherent risks within the particular sports or recreational activity that is provided.

(c)This section does not apply to a civil action based on the

(1)negligence of a provider if the negligence was the proximate cause of the injury, death, or damage; or

(2)design or manufacture of sports or recreational equipment or products or safety equipment used incidental to or required by a sports or recreational activity.

(d)Nothing in this section shall be construed to conflict with or render as ineffectual a liability release agreement between a person who participates in a sports or recreational activity and a provider.

(e)In this section,

(1)“farm touring” means briefly visiting a farm to observe or experience aspects of raising, growing, producing, cultivating, harvesting, or processing an agricultural product as a tourist, without receiving pay;

(2)“inherent risks” means those dangers or conditions that are characteristic of, intrinsic to, or an integral part of a sports or recreational activity;

(3)“provider” means a person or a federal, state, or municipal agency that promotes, offers, or conducts a sports or recreational activity, whether for pay or otherwise;

(4)“sports or recreational activity”

(A)means a commonly understood sporting activity, whether undertaken with or without permission, including baseball, softball, football, soccer, basketball, hockey, bungee jumping, parasailing, bicycling, hiking, swimming, skateboarding, horseback riding and other equine activity, farm touring, dude ranching, mountain climbing, river floating, whitewater rafting, canoeing, kayaking, hunting, fishing, backcountry trips, mushing, backcountry or helicopter-assisted skiing, alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, snowboarding, telemarking, snow sliding, snowmobiling, and off-road and all-terrain vehicle use;

(B)does not include

(i)boxing contests, sparring or wrestling matches, or exhibitions that are subject to the requirements of AS 05.10 ;

(ii)activities involving the use of devices that are subject to the requirements of AS 05.20 ; or

(iii)skiing or sliding activities at a ski area that are subject to the requirements of AS 05.45 .