Three state legislatures considering ORV trail support
Three separate bills are in the works in three different state legislatures, to further support the building and maintenance of trails for off-highway vehicles, according to a Specialty Equipment Market Association report.
In California, a bill was introduced to eliminate a new rule that $838,000 collected through OHV taxes and fees be put into the state’s general fund, rather than being deposited into the Off-Highway Vehicle Fund. The bill, which is currently in the Assembly Committee on Transportation, would ensure that the entirety of all user OHV fees and taxes are directed back towards the OHV fund, a program has been identified as a good model for state OHV management.
At present, Maryland doesn’t currently have an Off-Highway Vehicle trail fund. So a bill was recently introduced to create one. It would divert 0.5 percent of the excise tax collected from OHV titling into the newly created fund. All of the funds collected would go to the trails. Furthermore, it would help protect and support local economies and conservation through the development and maintenance of OHV trails. The bill is currently in the Senate Committee on Budget and Taxation.
Legislation to allow three or more contiguous counties to form regional recreation authorities to establish new recreational trail systems was approved by the West Virginia Senate and sent to the House. The bill, which has been assigned to the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources, would require the authorities to work with local landowners, county officials, community leaders, government agencies, recreational groups and recreational entrepreneurs to create programs to manage the trail systems.
The bill reflects the growing interest in the state for more trails and facilities for off-highway recreational vehicle enthusiasts and other forms of trail recreation.
