The New York Senate and Assembly have passed a bill clarifying the legal grounds for a campground owner to remove disruptive, unruly campers, and the legislation will be sent to Gov. Andrew Cuomo for final consideration, according to The Adirondack Daily Enterprise.
Under the proposed law, a campground owner could request a law enforcement officer remove a guest who willfully denies other guests their right to quiet enjoyment of the campground, including: threatening or endangering other guests, possessing illegal drugs, violating state or local laws or violating campground rules and regulations that are posted and part of the occupancy agreement.
The bill was sponsored by state Sen. Betty Little, R-Queensbury, at the request of the Campground Owners of New York (CONY).
“It provides legal parameters and would bring campgrounds in line with what can be done at hotels and motels when guests become disruptive and a threat to other guests,” Little said.
Assemblyman Billy Jones, D-Chateaugay, sponsored the companion bill in his house, which passed the Assembly on Tuesday (June 18).
“Campgrounds should be fun and welcoming spaces where people are able to get out in nature and explore,” Jones said. “But it’s important that visitors respect the shared space and their fellow campers. It can be a lengthy and drawn-out process to remove campers who are unruly, overstay their reservation or fail to pay. We crafted this legislation to make this process easier and ensure all parties are treated fairly.”
Unruly campers would need to receive from the campground owner or staff a written warning first and could be removed by law enforcement if the conduct persisted. A person removed from a campground would be entitled to a refund of the unused portion of any prepaid fees.
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