Close sledding loophole

Sioux City (Iowa) Journal: We encourage Gov. Terry Branstad to sign a bill passed by the Legislature which would protect Iowa cities from liability when injuries are sustained during “recreational activities,” including sledding, on city property.

State law affords protection for cities against lawsuits for injuries on public property related to a variety of specific and inherently dangerous activities, including skateboarding, in-line skating, bicycling, unicycling, riding scooters, river rafting, canoeing and kayaking, but not sledding.

Adding sledding by changing the wording of state law to include all “recreational activities” makes sense.

Local leaders have lobbied for the addition of sledding to state law as a result of a lawsuit filed against the city of Sioux City by a man who was injured while sledding in Sertoma Park on Jan. 11, 2008. (In 2012, the city approved a $2.75 million settlement of the suit.)