HB 1494 - AS INTRODUCED
2024 SESSION
24-2744
12/02
HOUSE BILL 1494
AN ACT relative to OHRVs.
SPONSORS: Rep. E. Kelley, Coos 7
COMMITTEE: Resources, Recreation and Development
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ANALYSIS
This bill modifies the definition of OHRV clubs as well as vehicle registration requirements for other off-road vehicles and the distribution fees and grant-in aid funds
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
24-2744
12/02
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four
AN ACT relative to OHRVs.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 OHRV Club; Definition. Amend RSA 215-A:1, V-a to read as follows:
V-a. "OHRV club" means an organized, dues-paying group [of OHRV users] with bylaws, registered with the secretary of state as a nonprofit organization,[.] and with a focus on OHRV use.
2 OHRV; Operation by Juveniles. Amend RSA 215-A:29, XVII to read as follows:
XVII. No person less than 18 years of age shall operate an ATV while transporting or carrying any passengers,[.] unless over the age of 14 and operating under 10 miles per hour at a golf facility as defined in RSA 175:1, XXXV.
3 Agricultural/Industrial Utility Vehicles; Registration. Amend RSA 261:41-a, I to read as follows:
I. An agricultural/industrial utility vehicle, as defined in RSA 259:2-a, if operated upon a way shall be registered as provided in RSA 261:141, III(dd).
(a) To be eligible for the issuance of an agricultural/industrial utility vehicle registration to be operated on a way, the applicant shall sign the following form which the treasurer of a city or such other official as the city government may designate or the town clerk shall provide. This form shall be provided to the applicant upon request without further evidence from the applicant that the plate shall be used for purposes of this section.
I, the undersigned, fully understand the limitations concerning the use of agricultural/industrial utility vehicles registered under RSA 261:41-a, and hereby certify that my vehicle will be used only for agricultural/industrial utility vehicle purposes and uses incidental thereto, as defined in RSA 259:2-a.
Signed
Date:
Copies to:
Town or City Clerk
4 Snowmobiles; Event Calendar and Fee Distribution. Amend RSA 215-C:50 to read as follows:
215-C:50 Events.
I. Any person, organization, or corporation who wishes to operate or to promote any snowmobile or OHRV event or contest involving the use of unregistered snowmobiles and OHRVs shall procure a permit from the executive director. The application for the permit shall be on an annual basis, shall include a listing of scheduled events, and shall be accompanied by an annual fee of $50. Participants in an event or contest shall not be required to register in New Hampshire, but shall operate under the provisions of the permit. Any such participant who is not registered in New Hampshire shall not operate away from the race course or contest area specified in the permit. The department shall maintain a public calendar of approved events. Distribution of any fees collected under this section shall be [as follows:]appropriated to fund the public calendar of these events, or the department of fish and game for the purposes specified in either RSA 215-C:39, IX or RSA 215-A:23, VIII.
[(a) The first $35 shall be appropriated to the department of natural and cultural resources for the administration of the bureau, and shall be used by the bureau for its grant-in-aid program pursuant to RSA 215-C:39, VII.
(b) From the balance, $7.50 shall be appropriated to the department of natural and cultural resources for administration of the bureau for the purposes listed in RSA 215-C:39, VIII or RSA 215-A:23, VII, and $7.50 shall be appropriated to the department of fish and game for the purposes specified in RSA 215-C:39, IX or RSA 215-A:23, VIII.]
5 Snowmobile Trails; Allocation of Grant-In-Aid Funds. Amend RSA 215-C:3 to read as follows:
215-C:3 Rulemaking. The commissioner of the department of cultural and natural resources, as a member of the bureau of trails, shall adopt rules under RSA 541-A relative to the imposition of administrative fines under RSA 215-C:3-a and:
I. The use and control of snowmobile trails, facilities, and lands under bureau control or lease; and
II. Complete and specific procedures relative to the distribution of and requirements for obtaining funds from the grant-in-aid program established under RSA 215-C:39, VII. The distribution of grant-in-aid funds shall include but be limited to 50% of engineering costs.[; and
III. Imposition of administrative fines under RSA 215-C:3-a.]
6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2025.