House committee substitute to the 3rd edition removes the content of the previous edition and replaces it with the following. Makes conforming changes to the act's titles.

Amends GS 99C-1 by adding and defining the following terms as they apply to GS Chapter 99C, Action Relating to Winter Sports Safety and Accidents. Defines inherent risk of skiing as risks or conditions that are part of the sport of skiing including the nine listed items, including changing weather conditions; impacts with lift towers, signs, posts, fences or enclosures, hydrants, water pipes, other man-made structs and their components, both padded and unpadded; collision with other skiers; failing to properly load or unload a tramway; or a skier failing to ski within their own abilities. Also adds and defines the terms season pass and ski pass. Amends the definition of passenger tramway to include a conveyor lift. Amends the definition of skier to include a person wearing a snowboard. Makes additional technical and clarifying changes.

Amends GS 99C-2 to no longer require ski area operators to conform with regulations, only rules adopted by the Department of Labor. Adds the following to a skier’s duties and responsibilities: (1) amends the existing provision to now provide that the skier must not leave the vicinity when they know or should reasonably know that they were involved in a collision with another skier before giving their name and address to an employee or agent of the ski area operator, a member of the ski patrol, or the other skier or person with whom the skier collided, except to seek medical treatment for any one injured in the collision or when remaining at the scene places the skier or others at significant risk of injury (sets out what must happen if they do leave for an allowable reason, or if the other skier is unknown); (2) to not ski off or outside of the ski trail boundaries; (3) to load and unload properly from a tramway, and to use any passenger restraining devices on tramways according to its intended purpose, posted instructions, and any verbal instructions from the ski area operator; (4) to not ski on a ski slope or ski trail that is posted as "closed" or outside of the operating hours of the ski area; (5) to stay clear of snow-grooming equipment, all vehicles, lift towers, signs, and any other equipment on ski slopes and ski trails; (6) to heed all posted information and other warnings and to refrain from acting in a manner which may cause or contribute to the injury of the skier or others; and (7) to yield the right of way to the downhill skier when approaching or overtaking another skier. Adds the duty of parents or guardians to properly supervise skiers under age 14 participating in winter sports activities at the ski area. Amends a ski area operator’s duties and responsibilities as follows: (1) makes an exception to the requirement to put a sign or warning on the location of a hydrant or similar equipment that is used in snowmaking operations that is located anywhere in the ski area, for when the hydrant or equipment is in an open and obvious location; and (2) requires posting signs giving notice of unusual conditions on the slope or trail at ticket kiosks or online in the alternative to the already required near the top of or entrance to any designated slope or trail. Makes additional clarifying and technical changes.

Amends GS 99C-3 to specify that a violation of duty or responsibility placed on the skier, passenger, or skier's parent or guardian (removes ski area operator) under GS 99C-2, to the extent the violation proximately causes injury to another person or damage to any property, constitutes negligence the part of the person committing the violation.

Enacts new GS 99C-6 deeming skiers to have knowledge of and to assume the inherent risks of skiing.

Enacts new GS 99C-7 protecting a ski area operator who has complied with GS 99C-2 from liability to a person who voluntarily participates in skiing for any damage or injury to property or persons arising out their participation in the activity that takes place in a ski area.

Enacts new GS 99C-8 making it a Class 1 misdemeanor to: (1) use a stolen, fictitious, or borrowed ski pass or season pass to obtaining services of any kind from a ski area; (2) ski at a ski area without a valid ski pass or season pass; (3) provide a stolen or fictitious ski pass or season pass or to loan a ski pass or season pass to another person to allow them to obtain services from a ski area; (4) provide a ski pass or season pass to another who is not the lawful owner and authorized user of the season pass to allow another to obtain services from a ski area; (5) access closed lifts, tramways, or ski trails; or (6) access lifts, tramways, or ski trails without a ski pass or season pass.

Enacts new GS 99C-9 making it a Class 1 misdemeanor for a skier to leave the vicinity when the skier knows or should reasonably know that they were involved in a collision with another skier before giving their name and address to an employee or agent of the ski area operator, a member of the ski patrol, or the other skier or person with whom the skier collided, except to seek medical treatment for any one injured as a result of the collision or when remaining at the scene places the skier or others at significant risk of injury. Sets out what must happen if they do leave for an allowable reason, or if the other skier is unknown.

Enacts new GS 99C-10 allowing a ski area operator to bring a civil action against a person who misuses a ski pass or season pass or who accesses or uses a ski area without authorization, as defined. Entitles the operation to an amount equal to the regular cost of a full season pass.

Enacts new GS 99C-11 to give a ski area operator’s agent or employee immunity from civil liability for detaining or causing the arrest of any person if: (1) within the premises of the ski area, (2) in a reasonable manner for a reasonable length of time, and (3) if the agent or employee had probable cause to believe, at the time of the detention, that the person committed a violation. Requires calling or notifying parents or guardians if the person detained is a minor under age 18, but does not hold them civilly liable for making such notification.

Enacts new GS 99C-12 limiting evidence offered to prove past medical expenses to evidence of the amounts actually paid to satisfy the bills that have been satisfied and evidence of the amounts actually necessary to satisfy the bills that have been incurred but not yet satisfied.

Enacts new GS 99C-13 making it the State’s public policy that the waivers of liability executed in conjunction with winter sports be an express acknowledgement of the inherent risks set out in GS 99C-1(1) enumerated in that document.

Enacts new GS 99C-14 specifying that GS 95-25.3 (minimum wage), GS 95-25.4 (overtime), GS 95-25.5 (youth employment), and GS 95-25.15(b) (recordkeeping) do not apply to a bona fide ski area volunteer, as defined.

Amends GS 95-25.5, by adding that the statute does not prohibit a qualified youth under age 18 from volunteer at a ski area.

Applies to causes of action arising on or after October 1, 2026, and to offenses committed on or after that date.