OFF-ROAD RECREATION VEHICLES S.B. 68 (S-2):
FLOOR SUMMARY
Senate Bill 68 (Substitute S-2 as reported)
Committee: Outdoor Recreation and Tourism
CONTENT
The bill would amend Part 811 (Off-Road Recreation Vehicles) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to do the following:
-- Prohibit a person from operating an off-road recreation vehicle (ORV) wider than 50 inches on a forest trail, and delete a provision that limits the maximum width of a vehicle on a forest trail to 49 inches.
-- Refer to an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) with four or more wheels, rather than a four-wheeled ATV, in provisions regarding the operation of an ATV by a child under the age of 12.
Currently, "forest trail" means a designated path or way capable of travel only by a vehicle less than 50 inches wide. Under the bill, the term would mean a designated path or way that is not a route. "Route" means a forest road or other road that is designated for purposes of Part 811 by the Department of Natural Resources.
MCL 324.81101 & 324.81129 Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have a positive fiscal impact on the Department of Natural Resources and no fiscal impact on local units of government. Under the bill, ORVs that are 50 inches or less in width would be allowed to use forest trails. Earlier this year, the Legislature enacted new fees for the licensure of ORVs that separated the licensure of the ORV from a trail permit. Under the new license structure, ORV owners who wish to use their ORV on State-owned trails have to pay an additional $10 for their ORV license. To the extent that increasing the maximum width of an ORV from 49 inches to 50 inches would make more ORVs eligible to use State trails and therefore increase demand for the more-expensive licenses, the DNR would receive some additional amount of revenue. The additional revenue would be credited to the Off-Road Vehicle Trail Improvement fund and would be used for trail maintenance, law enforcement, ORV safety education, and ORV-related grants.
Date Completed: 10-30-13 Fiscal Analyst: Josh Sefton
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.