Wednesday, March 5, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
AB197 would limit civil liabilities of horse owners, veterinarians or equine event sponsors. Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, introduced the bill on behalf of Liana Comeaux, a trail ride director and wife of state budget chief Perry Comeaux.
People who organize trail rides or sponsor other horse-related events already pay high insurance rates, Hettrick said, adding that the threat of civil liability has caused many of them to abandon the events even though riders make a conscious choice to participate.
"Participation in these events is voluntary," Hettrick said. "No one has to go ride in a trail ride. No one has to enter a rodeo."
Comeaux said her insurance agency won't cover riders in the $1 million policy she has for her trail rides. She also said Carson City's 4-H Club has not had a horse instructor for years because of liability fears.
"Individuals who put on events don't have the umbrella of a corporation," Comeaux said. "If individuals are sued, they could lose everything they have."
The bill would still allow individuals to be sued if they provided defective equipment or didn't make reasonable efforts to determine the riders' ability.
That part of the bill was also the crux of the argument against it. Nevada Trial Lawyers' Association representative Bill Bradley said the section is unnecessary because current law already provides for the distinction between cases where the owner or the rider is at fault.
Bradley said AB197 challenges the right of the plaintiff to a fair trial. He also argued the bill would relieve event sponsors from responsibilities they must take seriously.
Bradley said he had seen only two horse injury cases in 15 years and event sponsors won both of them.
Still, civil liability limits in equine cases seem to have some measure of popularity. Comeaux said 35 other states have already passed such legislation.
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