Safe Public River Access Proposed in Senate Bill

On March 26, 2025, the Senate Natural Resources Committee reported out SB 801. The bill is now in the Government Organization Committee. The purpose of this bill is to ensure public access to the state’s rivers and streams for recreational purposes.

SB 801 was accompanied by several legislative findings, among which were that river access points (1) serve as launch points for fishing, boating and swimming, (2) enhance the local economy by attracting tourists and water enthusiasts, (3) offer spaces for healthy outdoor activity, and (4) serve as community gathering spots sometimes called “third spaces.”

The bill would achieve its purpose by directing the Department of Transportation to provide a safely designed river access point on the related state right-of-way whenever a new public bridge is constructed or an existing one is replaced or substantially repaired, provided it is practical, and reasonable to do so.

This is a bill we can all get behind. Its purposes are solid, and the more the public is provided outdoor recreational opportunities, the more the public will want to protecct these outdoor spaces.

Members of the Senate Government Organization Committee can be found here.