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Cuomo signs Little-Jones law on unruly campers

ALBANY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed into law a bill that clarifies the legal grounds for campground owners to remove disruptive guests.

The law, effective immediately, gives campground owners the ability to request that long-term guests be removed for a variety of reasons, including disturbing, threatening or endangering other guests; illegal possession of alcohol or drugs; violating rules or state or local laws. A “long-term guest” is defined as someone staying on the property for longer than one week.

At the request of Campground Owners of New York, this measure has been sponsored in the state Senate by Sen. Betty Little, R-Queensbury, for years. It was sponsored in the Assembly by Assemblyman Billy Jones, D-Plattsburgh.

“Camping is such a wonderful experience, especially for families looking to enjoy the outdoors and make great memories,” Little said in a statement. “Unfortunately, and thankfully rarely, some campers can become overly disruptive and difficult to deal with and create problems for those around them and for the campground management. This new law provides clarity of what do when that situation arises.”

Disruptive guests would need to receive a written warning that their behavior could result in their removal. If they repeat the behavior, the campground owner will have the ability to request removal by police, who can cite the guest with trespassing.

The guest would be entitled to a refund of the unused portion of paid fees, less any amount otherwise owed to the campground or deducted for damages. The statute also provides direction on how to deal with property left at the campground by the removed guest: The property would either be stored on the campsite or placed in storage, and they would be notified via certified mail to retrieve any belongings. The law also clarifies that campgrounds are for recreational, camping, travel or seasonal use and are not subject to eviction procedures.

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