To: Wisconsin UTV Enthusiasts
Fr: Randy Harden @ WATVA leadership team
Re: Status of current UTV pilot program in conjunction with our goal to get a permanent UTV registration to replace the pilot
The second two year UTV pilot test program is set to expire at the end of the state’s fiscal year, June 30th, 2012. No organization is more aware of the importance to have a permanent solution ready to take its place than WATVA.
We understand many citizens are hesitant to purchase a new UTV until they know if the UTV will be a permanent fixture on our beautiful trail systems that are qualified to support the UTV machinery. Many of our older members have inquired as to the status of the UTV. Some of these same riders are looking for the permanent UTV registration program as it will extend their ability to enjoy our great Wisconsin backcountry trails. WATVA receives regular inquiries from out of state UTV owners, asking for more details as to how they can come ride and plan their vacations with us.
Under our current statewide pilot program, we have no provision for people to purchase a non-resident trail pass. Currently UTVs are being registered as ATVs. All UTVs that are registered as ATVs under the current pilot program will no longer be valid as of 7/01/2012. The current test program has no specific mechanism within it that allows for allocating trail maintenance dollars, instead the registration dollars have been held within the ATV fund under a specific line item for tracking purposes. These funds will then be used to offset start up costs for programming needs, registration and service requirements within what will be the permanent UTV registration program if we are successful.
Our primary goal is to have the new permanent registration system passed into law to take effect on 7/01/2012, the day after the pilot registration system expires.
During the final testing period over the past two years, the WATVA team has met and rode ATVs and UTVs with key representatives from the Wisconsin County Forests Association (WCFA), the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources, the US Forest Service, a number of UTV manufacture reps, a number of different state lawmakers, WATVA chapter clubs, the Wisconsin Dept. of Tourism and other related business interests affected by the ATV and UTV tourism dollars. These rides and meetings were focused on and centered around what’s needed to pull together a good law that will set up and establish the same type of long term system we are all familiar with as the ATV registration program.
As you might guess with this many planning partners involved it is impossible to produce a perfect bill that 100% of us will be completely satisfied with. We are confident however, this bill will serve us well getting the newest OHV permanent registration program launched here in Wisconsin. Our WATVA leadership team has worked diligently on this language the past 3 + years. We’re cautiously optimistic that a majority of our state lawmakers will support this compilation of many different affected groups, managing agencies and people that we need to support it for final passage.
To make this legislative change work, we had to coordinate many changes within the ATV law. In some instances it made sense to add, adjust or replace some of our current ATV laws at the same time.
Some of the high points of the new UTV legislation are as follow:
• Providing an annual non-resident trail pass option for the out of state UTV owner, at the same time adding a new 5 day non-resident trail pass for ATVs and UTVs alike ($20 versus $35 annual).
• Changing the following year decal / registration effective date from 7/ 1 to 4/ 1 to better suit the majority of trail system openings & operations. This applies to non-resident trail passes and resident registrations that would start in 2013 and subsequent years.
• Add a “registration free weekend” for ATV and UTV owners to compliment the free fishing, free entry to state trails and state parks the first full weekend in June. This will encourage new riders into our sport, also meant to attract more out of state riders.
• Include the UTV into the current ATV snowplowing law
• New and specific UTV side decals will be provided for UTV owners (per the 2 side decals we are accustomed to now). A new consumer provided rear plate will be added to aid in visibility needs. This includes ATVs & UTVs, similar to those used in Minnesota. This addition is a compromise that meets requests by multiple land managers and those charged with overseeing unlawful rogue riders so they can be easier to identify and thus held accountable when not following no trespassing laws.
• Includes a mechanism to collect the same state gas tax refund formula being refunded into the UTV designated account, paralleling the current ATV formula.
• Provides a distribution formula to fund UTV trail maintenance needs in coordination with the ATV fund.
• Kept the resident registration fees for UTVs the same as ATV
• Added a way to register traditional straddle seat ATVs that are over 900 pounds but less than the max weight for UTVs (i.e. the Big Boss 6 x 6 and other similar machines). These type machines will be considered UTVs and registered accordingly.
This summary highlight is not intended to be all inclusive. All aspects of the legislative language are subject to change based on state lawmaker’s requests. WATVA representatives will ask to speak during the public hearings process in front of the appropriate Assembly and Senate committees once the bill is assigned a number and formally assigned to a committee by the respective leadership in both houses of the Wisconsin state legislature. Senator Joe Leibham is the main bill sponsor on the Senate side. Representative Eric Severson is heading up the same bill in the Assembly.
Once the bill is formally introduced and is in motion, we will post updated details and requests on the WATVA / UTV web, through our e-newsletter, in the WATVA / Rider Network forum pages and on the WATVA Facebook page. Special mailings may also be in order.
We are currently requesting and accepting letters of support for this bill. Several written letters have already been received. If you would like to view them as samples for your own letter, please contact the WATVA office.
Feel free to contact your regional coordinator or the WATVA home office team if we can help clarify any questions you might have.
Randy Harden
info@watva.org
(920) 694-0583
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