Competing Bills Leave Oregon’s Recreation Industry in Limbo as the State’s Legislative Session Nears its End

Oregon’s long-running liability waiver crisis has reached another turning point, and the stakes for recreation providers across the state are rising.

Earlier this month, advocates working with legislators and the coalition Protect Oregon Recreation renewed efforts to find a meaningful solution to a problem that has been building for more than a decade. Since a 2014 ruling by the Oregon Supreme Court effectively nullified the enforceability of many liability waivers, the fallout has been significant. Insurance carriers have exited the state. Premiums have climbed sharply. Some recreation amenities have been scaled back or eliminated. In certain cases, businesses have closed their doors altogether.

• Related: Inside the Liability Insurance Crisis Pushing Oregon Ski Areas to the Brink

Supporters of reform say the consequences are no longer theoretical. They are visible in higher prices for families, fewer program offerings, and growing uncertainty for small businesses that depend on liability waivers to operate.

Now, that effort faces a new complication.

A bill known as SB 1517 recently passed the Oregon State Senate and has been referred to the Oregon House of Representatives. Backers of the measure have described it as a solution that will make recreation “safe, affordable, and insurable.” But recreation advocates and insurers disagree, arguing the bill does not restore meaningful waiver enforceability and could deepen the crisis instead of resolving it.

According to written testimony submitted to lawmakers, insurers confirmed they left Oregon because of the litigation environment created after the 2014 court decisions. They also warned that SB 1517, as written, would not provide the predictability needed to bring carriers back. The concern centers on a series of broad conditions and exceptions layered into the bill. Critics say those exceptions are so expansive that waivers would rarely be upheld in practice, leaving businesses exposed and insurers unconvinced.

That broader fix is embodied in Senate Bill 1593, also known as the Oregon Recreation Commerce and Affordability Act of 2026. Introduced on January 26 by a bipartisan coalition of 18 lawmakers, the bill aims to realign Oregon with neighboring states by restoring clear, enforceable waiver standards. An identical measure, HB 4071, was introduced in the House. This is the measure that recreation providers in Oregon say is needed.

• Related: Oregon Introduces the ORCA Act of 2026 to Address the State’s Liability Insurance Crisis

Despite bipartisan backing and broad support from recreation providers, nonprofits, and conservation groups, SB 1593 remains stalled in committee. Its House companion has also seen little movement.

For advocates, the frustration is growing. They argue that after three legislative sessions of discussions and draft proposals, the state is closer than ever to a workable solution, yet the most comprehensive reform bill remains sidelined while a measure they view as inadequate advances.

What happens next will shape the future of Oregon’s recreation economy. If lawmakers can craft a law that protects participants while restoring legal clarity for providers, insurers may return, premiums could stabilize, and access could expand again. If not, businesses warn that closures and cost increases will continue. For a state where outdoor recreation is more than a pastime, the outcome will carry consequences well beyond the courtroom.