New Hampshire's House has given its preliminary OK to giving negligent hikers a chance to buy a hike safe card that forgives rescue expenses they'd otherwise owe the state.
Under current law the Fish and Game Department can seek reimbursement for its rescue costs if a person acts negligently and then needs rescuing. Those costs can run from a few hundred dollars to several thousand.
The bill authorizes Fish and Game to sell voluntary hike safe cards for $25 per person and $35 per family. People who obtain the cards would not be liable to repay rescue costs if their rescue was due to negligence on their part.
The bill also would exempt people with hunting and fishing licenses and anyone with an off-highway recreational vehicle registration, including for a snowmobile.
The House vote Wednesday asked the Ways and Means Committee to review the measure bill. It would still need support from the State Senate.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
